The Adventures of Fairy Tale Girl and Future Boy
by Model Builder
Summary: After trespassing in Gothel's Garden; the Robinson Siblings are cursed to live in Hyperion Heights as orphans. But when Will Robinson remembers who he and his sisters really are after touching classmate Lucy Vidrio's storybook, the two new friends must find a way to get the Robinsons back home. And with Dr. Smith watching them closely on Gothel's behalf, it will not be easy.
1. Robinsons Stick Together

**The Adventures of Fairy Tale Girl and Future Boy**

 **A "** **Once Upon A Time Season 7** **" Crossover with "** **Lost in Space, 2018** **."**

 **Summary** : After trespassing in Gothel's Garden; the Robinson Siblings are cursed to live in Hyperion Heights as orphans. But when Will Robinson remembers who he and his sisters really are after touching classmate Lucy Vidrio's storybook, the two new friends must find a way to get the Robinsons back home. And with Dr. Smith watching them closely on Gothel's behalf, it will not be easy.

 **Disclaimer** : "Once Upon A Time" is owned and created by the team of Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. The original "Lost in Space" from 1965 is owned by Irwin Allen, and filmed by 20th Century Fox Television. The "Lost in Space, 2018" series on Netflix is produced by Legendary Television, Synthesis Entertainment, Clickety-Clack Productions, and Applebox Entertainment.

This Fan Fiction Crossover story is the work of a hobbyist having fun with some of his favorite, fictional characters, and nothing more. I hope that this is a sufficient disclaimer.

 **Historian's Note** : This story takes place in the middle of Season 7 of "Once Upon A Time," and sometime after the events shown in Season 1 of "Lost in Space, 2018."

As with my earlier "Once Upon A Time" crossovers with the original, "Lost in Space, 1965" series, I will be treating the different _genres_ of Fairy Tales and Science Fiction as though they are different _cultures_ and _ethnicities_.

Since the Dark Curse in Hyperion Heights has yet to be broken at the time of my story, only a small handful of "Once Upon A Time" characters, (Lucy, Roni, Detective Weaver, and Mother Gothel,) know that they are originally from a Fairy Tale Realm of Storytelling.

For the purpose of my story, the Robinson Siblings and Dr. Smith are from a Science Fiction Realm of Storytelling. But unlike the Fairy Tale people in Storybrooke and Hyperion Heights, they do not realize that they, too, are characters in a story.

As an episode of "Once Upon A Time, Season 7," the Title Card will show the interstellar spaceship _Resolute_ hovering over the Seattle, Washington Skyline, in the background of the Blue Forest Setting.

" _A real world. How arrogant are you to think that yours' is the only one? There are infinite more. You have to open your mind. They touch one another, pressing up in a long line of lands, each just as real as the last. All have their own rules. Some have magic, some don't."_

Jefferson / The Mad Hatter to Emma Swan, "Once Upon A Time," Season 1, Episode 17, "Hat Trick."

 **Chapter 1. Robinsons Stick Together**

Days started early at the Robinsons' apartment; even on Saturday mornings. Judy Robinson had been awake since five AM, and it was her turn to use the bathroom as her sister Penny and her brother Will began setting the table and getting breakfast ready.

Wistfully, Judy could almost remember a time when sleeping to seven AM was the norm, even on weekdays. But ever since mom and dad died in a traffic accident six months earlier, Judy, Penny and Will had to keep to a ridged schedule to make everything work.

Though their new home in Hyperion Heights was much smaller than the house they grew up in, there was still plenty to be done to keep the apartment spotless. Neatness and order almost became an obsession with them, since the Robinson Siblings never knew when unexpected company may arrive in the name of June Harris; the Social Worker who was assigned to their 'case.'

Judy Robinson, now 18 and the legal guardian of her younger sister and brother, had a lot to worry about. Their parents' death had, among other things, forced Judy to put her dream of medical school on hold as she now tried to work as many hours as possible to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. While she did this, it was up to Penny and Will to attend school, do the cooking, and keep the apartment clean. It was a good system, when it worked flawlessly. But 'things' were always coming up that threatened to disrupt this very delicate balance that the Robinson Siblings called the 'New Normal.'

None of the Robinson siblings had ever been what you would call neat-freaks before (though they were hardly slobs, either.) But living in a subsidized apartment meant that inspectors from the State could arrive at _any_ time, and cite them for _anything_. And Judy – who lived in constant fear of coming home from work to an empty apartment to find that her younger siblings had been taken and placed in "The System" – insisted that nothing be done (or not done) that might give Ms. Harris the excuse that she needed to declare Judy to be an "unfit guardian."

Judy washed her face, scrubbing a bit harder than she intended out of frustration. The very thought of June Harris gave Judy a bellyful of bile. The woman was an absolute, anal-retentive stickler for _every_ obscure regulation that she could find (or, as Judy often suspected, make-up,) to make the Robinsons' lives miserable.

Judy reflected on the time just two weeks earlier, (after doing a double-shift at her job at Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack,) when Ms. Harris and a police officer aroused the Robinson siblings at two in the morning with a hard knock on the door. It seemed, Ms. Harris informed them, that an 'anonymous caller' had reported that Judy had a 'boyfriend' staying with them.

As the Robinsons sat with Ms. Harris at their kitchen table, the officer, (a decent, somewhat apologetic man named Rogers,) gave the apartment a going-over, and told Ms. Harris that he found no signs that anyone other than the Robinson siblings resided at the apartment. But Ms. Harris was not satisfied, and demanded that he look, again. She then repeated this request yet _another_ time before declaring that she was 'satisfied' that the caller 'may have been mistaken.'

But before leaving, Ms. Harris then proceeded to give Judy _and_ Penny a lecture about the risks of having sexual relations with boys – and right in front of Will! Judy only hoped that her poor little brother was as drowsy as she was, and would barely understand what was being said. Then, after almost two hours had passed since they first arrived, Ms. Harris and Officer Rogers (who truly seemed sorry for the Robinsons' plight,) finally left them in peace - with less than an hour to sleep before they had get up and get ready for work and school.

And all through the ordeal, Judy was afraid that Ms. Harris - if she found no evidence of a 'boyfriend,' (as if Judy even had _any_ time for a social life,) just might "find" something else. Planting pot or some other "contraband" was not something that Judy would put past the heartless Ms. Harris.

Judy dried her face, looking in the mirror, shaking her head as she regarded her complexion. At first, she thought that Ms. Harris was just a racist who did not like the idea of a black girl taking care of her two younger, white siblings. (Oh, if she had a dollar for every time someone had mistaken her for Penny's and Will's 'babysitter' . . . .)

That would have been the simplest explanation for the way Ms. Harris treated them.

But Judy, (who had gotten pretty good over the years at sensing this kind of attitude in others, as had Penny and Will,) quickly realized that _something else_ was motivating Ms. Harris. Though exactly what that 'something else' might be, Judy couldn't figure out no matter how hard she tried.

Over the past six months, Ms. Harris had had plenty of opportunities to 'plant' contraband and have the Robinsons thrown out of their apartment (and Judy onto the street and Penny and Will into The System.) So, why didn't Ms. Harris just do _that_ if she hated them as much as she seemed to?

Judy's current (albeit far from satisfying) theory was that Ms. Harris was some kind of sadist who got-off on making her and her siblings' lives a living hell. And if Ms. Harris _did_ have them kicked-out of their apartment; she would not have the Robinson Siblings at arms-length to make them squirm.

But Judy did not have the luxury of time to think more about their situation. The Robinsons lived their lives moment-to-moment, and now was the time for Judy to finish dressing. After putting on her uniform for Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack, Judy came into the combination kitchen and dining room where Penny and Will were putting the finishing touches on breakfast.

They smiled at each other as they sat down to eat. No matter how bad things were, and even with no end in sight, the family motto remained strong. First and foremost: Robinsons Stick Together.


	2. Will's Class Project

**Chapter 2. Will's Class Project**

Mealtimes were about the only chance the Robinson Siblings had to touch-base with one another. Penny had made breakfast sandwiches with English Muffins, eggs, Velveeta and turkey lunchmeat. A banana and a glass of milk rounded- out the meal. Judy sighed. A cup of coffee - or better still, an iced latte - would have been nice, but . . . .

As usual, Judy began by saying, "So, what do you two have planned after your chores and homework, today?"

Penny said, "After mopping the kitchen floor, I'm going to do the laundry. Then I'm going to finish my homework, and then read my book before starting dinner."

Judy smiled. "What are you reading now, Penny?"

"Something to get my mind off the way things are for us," said Penny. She held up the book she got from her school library: "The Bad Beginning," by Lemony Snicket. Both Judy and Will snickered.

Judy then turned to her brother. "And what about you, Squirt?"

"After taking care of the breakfast dishes and taking out the trash, I'm on dusting and vacuuming detail," said Will. "But today is the day that I get to do my homework _and_ have some fun at the same time!"

Inwardly Judy cringed. Was _today_ the day that Will had to start that school assignment that he mentioned earlier in the week? How much is this going to cost . . . ? Fighting to keep a Poker-Face, Judy said, "So, what do you think you will _need_ to complete the project, Will?"

Earlier in the week, Will had told his sisters that he had been assigned a team presentation with another kid in his American History class. The topic was "The Year 1968," and the class had been paired-up to make presentations about historical events of that turbulent year half a century ago. For once, Will was actually looking forward to a school assignment, thanks to two, little bits of luck.

The first bit of luck happened when it was his turn to draw a Presentation Partner. Will didn't have many friends at school, and was relieved to draw "Lucy Vidrio." Will knew that Lucy was something of a loner, like he was. Though their limited interactions had always been cordial, Lucy tended to keep to herself, and was more likely to sit in a quiet corner of the playground reading her favorite book than socializing with the other kids – something that made Will feel slightly less anxious inviting her to his apartment and meeting his sisters.

But Will's luck seemed to be on a streak when Lucy drew a slip of paper from the bowl of topics. Will, who had always been interested in space travel for as long as he could remember, blinked when he saw their topic: Apollo 8. And since a requirement of the presentation included 'visual aids,' Will had just the thing in mind: a model of the Command/Service Module of the first manned spacecraft to break Earth Orbit. Maybe even a model of the Apollo 8 Saturn V rocket (in smaller scale) to go with it. And to Will's delight, Lucy agreed that he had a good idea.

Before the accident that killed his mother and father, Will had been an avid model builder, and he'd built-up quite a collection of mostly space- themed models made from plastic kits. Technically, Will still owned them, but he had no way of getting to any of them, right now. After the accident, the Robinsons' house was sealed by the FBI due to an investigation against his mother, who had been a physicist working at NASA, and had been accused of some kind of unspecified "document falsification."

But even now, with money tight, Will still managed to start a new collection by making use of another medium: printed card stock.

Free, highly detailed paper models of spacecraft were plentiful online, and Will had built about a dozen over the past, several months, as well as having amassed an entire flash-drive full of future projects; including the Saturn V and C/SM specific to the Apollo 8 Mission. All he needed was a few dollars to print out a copy of each model at the local library. A quick check of his building materials let him know that he had a good supply of matte spray to keep the printed ink from running when he glued the parts together and to protect the finish, and that he had more than enough tacky glue for assembly.

But . . . .

Will took a deep breath, and said, "I think four or five dollars should cover it, Judy. I'll need some new, #11 hobby knife blades, and the rest to print-out the sheets I need for the project at the library."

"Will your partner be able to help with any of that?" said Judy neutrally.

"Lucy is doing the poster," said Will shrugging.

"Anything else?" said Judy, maybe with a bit more frustration than she intended.

"That should cover it," said Will. Judy nodded, and handed her brother four wrinkled ones and some pocket change from her purse. She sighed, in spite of herself, and added, "But please bring back what you don't need. I won't be getting another paycheck until next Friday."

"Thanks, sis," said Will sincerely. "I'm supposed to meet Lucy at Hyperion Heights Hobbies and Crafts at eleven, today. I'll get the blades, she'll get what she needs for the poster, and then we'll go to the library to print out the models. We should be back here around one."

"What about lunch?" said Judy.

"Lucy said she'd eat before coming over," said Will, knowing all-too-well what Judy was driving at.

"Well, if you want to offer her anything to drink," said Judy. "You may open the can of Hawaiian Punch in the 'fridge. But no cookies. We used the card for those . . . ."

"I understand," said Will.

Judy said, "And Penny, do you know where the receipt is for the Hawaiian Punch?" Penny nodded, and Judy continued, "If You-Know-Who comes around and makes trouble, tell her we bought the punch with cash, but don't let her take the receipt. Call me and wait until I come home to show it to her, and hopefully, anyone else she may bring with her. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will be Officer Rogers. Otherwise, she might just "lose" it . . . ."

Penny said, "That _skank_ hasn't been around since she woke us all up last month –"

"And _that_ means that she's long overdue." Judy's expression sharpened. "And call her "Ms. Harris," Penny, even in private! The last thing you need to do is get into the bad habit of calling her what she _really_ is, and letting it slip in her presence! She makes our lives hard enough as they are!

"Now, I should be able to bring home something from work for dinner, tonight. And I expect this place to be spotless when I do. I know you like building your models, Will, but we can't afford even a tiny scrap of paper on the floor! If Ms. Harris sees anything, and makes a Federal Case of it, I may have to take time off of work that I can't afford to miss to straighten things out!"

Forcing herself to soften, Judy hugged Penny and Will individually. Then, after a quick Robinson Group-Hug, she left for work, hoping that Penny and Will would be there when she got back.


	3. Gothel's Garden

**Chapter 3. Gothel's Garden**

Surreptitiously, Dr. Smith followed the three Robinson Siblings and the alien Robot as they made their way through the woods of the strange world they landed on the day before. Finally, they came to an area that looked like a man-made clearing with a tended garden.

Will said, "See, what did I tell you? The Robot and I found it earlier today!"

"Whoa," said Penny. "Looks like I owe you an apology, Will! This _does_ look like a garden!"

"What do you mean, "looks like," sis? This IS a garden, just like the ones back home. Well, that is, before . . . you know . . . ."

"But who made it?" said Judy. The young doctor checked out their surroundings cautiously. Not only were there plants of all kinds, but stone walkways and statues, and even a gurgling fountain! "Our scans from orbit showed this planet to be uninhabited . . . ."

Before Judy could finish her sentence, a booming, malevolent female voice that sounded vaguely Australian said, "Who dares trespass in Gothel's garden?" The Robinson siblings rounded to the side, where they saw a humanoid alien with braided, greyish-brown hair, wearing a crimson dress and a black cloak that made her look like a Renaissance Fair cosplayer.

Immediately Judy said, "W-we mean you no harm! We're unarmed!

"We're explorers from the planet Earth. My name is Judy Robinson. This is my sister, Penny, and our brother, Will." Judy then braced herself for the inevitable incredulity that she and her siblings so often faced when meeting someone for the first time, and was about to deliver the standard explanation, only to notice that the alien did not even raise an eyebrow.

"You are NOT welcome here, humans!"

"We're here by accident," said Judy as calmly as she could. "Our spaceship, the _Jupiter 2_ –"

Before Judy could say anything else, the being who called herself "Gothel" made a gesture, and one of the stone garden gnomes began to grow and transform.

The Robot said, "Danger, Will Robinson," and began to transform as well. Just as the gnome reached its full height and assumed an attack posture, the Robot shifted into its own four-arm attack mode, and its faceplate began to glow a fierce red. Within seconds, the garden gnome was destroyed in a shower of energy bursts.

Roaring with rage, Gothel cast a spell surrounding the Robinson Siblings and the Robot in thick smoke. Watching in horror from her hiding place, Dr. Smith saw the smoke coalesce into a tight, solid ball that came to Gothel's hand. Then, in another burst of smoke, the alien vanished.

Thankful that she had not been seen, Dr. Smith quietly began to back away, when a voice behind her said, "And where do you think _you_ are going, human . . . ?"

Dr. Smith startled. The alien creature that had just disintegrated the Robinson children was behind her! Dr. Smith tried to run, but was caught by a vine that seemed to come out of nowhere. Then, to Dr. Smith's horror, she realized that more vines were coming from the ground, following the first, and in seconds, she was firmly bound.

The alien said, "I am Mother Gothel! Trespassers are _not_ welcome in my garden!"

"P-please," said Dr. Smith. "I – I was not with the others – the Robinsons and that Robot. I never actually _entered_ your garden, and I was just leaving –"

The alien repeated, "Humans are not welcome here!"

Dr. Smith, who had lived her entire life based on her ability to 'read' her potential enemies, quickly took the measure of the being who called itself "Gothel."

It was humanoid - or at least, it was in humanoid form - and it was apparently very powerful. It could teleport itself. It has telekinetic abilities. And it was apparently hostile.

Now, how to defeat such a being . . . ?

And with her last thought, Dr. Smith was able to obtain yet another vital piece of information about her adversary: Whatever powers it may have at its disposal; the ability to read minds is not one of them.

Calming herself, Dr. Smith said, "Please believe me when I say that we landed on your world by mistake! We did not know that this planet was already inhabited. Our scanners are obviously not adjusted to detect people of your life form.

"You didn't have to kill the Robinsons. They were no threat to you. They're just children."

"I didn't," said Gothel. "They are still very much alive, though they are being . . . _held_ until my plans are ready, and then I shall have my revenge against them as well as the others of this Realm who have offended me over the years!"

"If I have offended you in any way . . . ."

"Then you would have been held as well! But, as you pointed out, you were not among the other trespassers, and fortunately for you, I may have a need for your services."

Now, Dr. Smith felt a feeling of relief wash over her, though through practiced control, she did not let this show. "How may I be of service to you?"

"I plan to unleash a Curse upon this world; a Dark Curse. And all who are touched by it shall suffer.

"But you and these 'Robinsons' are not from my Realm, nor even from my Genre.

"You are from a _related_ Realm of Storytelling, though one that broke-off from my own a long time ago. I cannot be certain that the Dark Curse will have its desired effect on any of _you people_ ; hence, my need for your assistance with this matter."

It took Dr. Smith an almost Herculean effort to maintain her demeanor at the alien's last statements. What on Earth (or not,) did she mean by . . . _Genre_ . . . ? Realm of _Storytelling_ . . . ?

A simple "Poker Face" would not be good enough; she had to convey, through facial expression and body-language, that she was willing to comply with this "Gothel" one-hundred percent. And so far, she seemed to be satisfying the powerful being standing before her.

Gothel waived her hand, and the vines withdrew from Dr. Smith, who stood as soon as Gothel indicated that she may. "The Dark Curse shall transport all it touches to another Realm, where they shall have different memories and lives of misery."

"And am I to have . . . new memories and a life of misery, too?" said Dr. Smith evenly.

Gothel smiled sardonically. "No, Dr. Smith. In fact, I have a need for you to _retain_ your memories, if you are to properly assist me.

"In return for your services, you shall have a life of luxury and comfort; so long as you follow my instructions and keep the Robinsons from _ever_ learning the truth of their imprisonment."

"I'm at your service!" said Dr. Smith.

Gothel replied with a very unladylike snort. "Just remember this: If you help me keep the Robinsons imprisoned, you shall have your life of comfort.

"But, if the Robinsons ever manage to learn the truth of their imprisonment, and find a way back to their own Realm of Storytelling, then YOU shall join them, too! Even if you do not return with them; know that wherever you may be in this world, in a twinkling, you shall be teleported back along with them as well.

Dr. Smith tensed as she felt herself enveloped in thick smoke. When it dissipated, she found herself in an old-fashioned office, complete with an antique desktop computer and a push-button phone. Looking around, she saw a calendar on the wall with the year "2018" showing.

Looking down at herself, Dr. Smith saw that she was dressed in stylish, albeit vintage woman's business attire. A knock at the door got her attention, and when she opened it, she saw the alien creature responsible for it all standing there.

"G-Gothel . . . ?"

"Here I am known as Eloise Gardener . . . .

"Now, here is what you must do: The Dark Curse did not give the Robinson Siblings new memories; it only modified the ones they already have. They even keep their own names. They are 'asleep,' but only just . . . ."

Dr. Smith nodded. A million and one questions flooded into Dr. Smith's mind. Fortunately, so did a million and one answers. Her name was June Harris. (So she retained her own, real name, as well . . . .) She owned a Condo in the high-end area of Hyperion Heights, in Seattle, Washington, that was lavishly furnished. She drove a silver Lexus and had more than six-figures in her various bank accounts.

And tonight, she has a dinner reservation at The Georgian, and a ticket to see "Hamilton."

"You will keep the Robinson Siblings under very close scrutiny, and prevent them from becoming fully 'awake' at all costs," said Eloise Gardener. "They will be your only concern. You have no other families in your 'assigned caseload;' though your 'supervisors' here at the Department of Social and Health Services will think otherwise. "Just do everything you can to make the Robinsons' lives miserable and their minds asleep."

"Do _not_ fail me, 'Ms. Harris.' If the Robinson Siblings return to their Old Lives; so shall _you_ . . . ."

Dr. Smith / June Harris smiled at Gothel reassuringly, and the alien teleported away.

Now, Dr. Smith smiled to herself. This alien seems to have immense powers. It can teleport, manipulate objects with thought, and can even manipulate space and time itself!

 _And yet, it is apparently unable to descry in my mind the plans that I am already drawing against it . . . ._

But those plans had to be put on hold, for now. Dr. Smith had a visit to pay on Judy, Penny and Will – if nothing else, to determine the effect of the alien's "curse" on them.

Instinctively, Dr. Smith left her office to the parking garage. She always wanted to own a Lexus. And if nothing else, she did not want to miss an original performance of "Hamilton."


	4. Will and Lucy

**Chapter 4. Will and Lucy**

Finishing his chores and other assigned homework in record time, Will Robinson said a quick goodbye to Penny, and ran up the street and around the corner to Hyperion Heights Hobbies and Crafts. When he got there he checked his phone: 10:47 AM. This meant that he had almost fifteen minutes to browse, (even though he couldn't actually buy any model kits,) before his classmate Lucy Vidrio would be there to meet him around eleven.

"Hello Will," said the grey-haired man behind the counter.

"Hello, sir," said Will.

"How many times do I have to tell you, just call me Pete? Everyone else does."

Unaccustomed to calling an adult by his first name, Will said, "Yes, sir; I mean, Pete."

The older man said, "So, how's my favorite, _youngest_ customer?"

"I'm alright. I've got a project for school, and I'm going to need some #11 blades."

Pete smiled. _Gotta like a kid these days who knows to calls them, "number" eleven blades, and not "hashtag" eleven blades . . . ._ "What kind of project, Will?"

Will told Pete that he wanted to build a model of the Apollo 8 Saturn V and the C/SM from cardstock.

"I remember that mission," Pete smiled. "I saw it on TV when I was your age. About a year later, when they first came out, I built the Revell 1/96th scale Saturn V and the 1/48th scale C/SM and LM, too. Space kits were all the rage then. Both kits cost me eight whole dollars, each! But you know what they say: Nostalgia is the ability to remember yesterday's prices while forgetting yesterday's allowance . . . ."

Will smiled politely. He knew that both vintage space kits were still available off and on over the years. But what cost Pete $16.00 back then would cost Will about $150.00 today for the same kits.

Pete sighed. "I remember when my dad first opened this store, in the late 1950's. Most of the customers were under 15. Now, they're all my age, or older. Most kids your age wouldn't know which end of a hobby knife to hold. Heck, one kid even came in about a week ago to pick up some #11 blades for his dad, and actually asked me why a knife blade has a 'Twitter Account,' if you can believe it!

"I couldn't even get my own son into the hobby. But lemmie tell ya, he can build a _computer_ for you from scratch . . . ." The old man's reminiscing was cut short when the bell at the door rang, and a girl Will's age came in.

Will said, "Hi, Lucy," then turned to the man behind the counter, and said, "Mister . . . I mean, Pete, this is my classmate Lucy Vidrio. We're working together on the project I told you about."

After saying hi to Will and Pete, Lucy asked if Pete had any foam-core board and markers. After Lucy bought her items and Will paid for the blades, the two kids went to the local library to print out the sheets that Will would need to make the models for their presentation.

Once there, Lucy said, "Do you think we should look for books about Apollo 8 while we are here?"

Will thought for a moment, and said, "I think we should get to work on our display, as soon as possible. The Internet should give us all the basic information we need for your poster and our presentation.

"C'mon, Lucy. My apartment isn't too far from here."

The first things that Lucy noticed when she entered the Robinsons' apartment was how meticulously clean it was, and how Spartan it was furnished. The kitchen and dining area had a table and four chairs, but the living room only had a sofa, several TV trays, and a television set.

A pretty girl about 15, who was dressed in old jeans and a faded tee-shirt decorated with Taylor Swift's picture from her "1989" CD, was reclining on the couch reading a book, her head resting on one arm rest of the couch, and her bare feet resting on the other one. Lucy knew the book; the first installment of David Handler's (AKA Lemony Snicket's) "A Series of Unfortunate Events" stories. Lucy had read the entire series the year before, right after she finished reading all seven "Harry Potter" books.

"Hi, Penny," said Will. "We're back."

"Hey, Squirt," said the girl, nodding at Lucy. "Is this your friend from school? She's cute." Lucy smiled in spite of herself.

Will said, "Penny, this is Lucy Vidrio. We're going to work on our school project, now."

"Hi, Lucy," said Penny. "Don't mind me. Just be sure to clean up any mess that you two make, Will. My morning chores and homework are already done, and I'm off the clock until dinner time.

"Now to get back to the Baudelaires . . . ." Without another word, Penny went back to reading her book.

The two kids set their project materials on the Robinsons' kitchen table, where Will had already set his bottle of tacky glue and can of matte, clear overspray. Lucy said, "You told me you had two sisters, Will. Am I going to meet your other sister, too?"

"Judy is going to be at work pretty late, tonight," said Will. She'll be back after you leave. But you'll probably see her when you come over later on. Will pointed to a framed picture on the otherwise bare walls. The picture looked a few years old because Will looked about nine and Penny looked about 13.

There were three other people in the photo. A very rugged looking man in a Navy Dress Uniform stood next to a professionally dressed woman; Will's mother and father. The third person was a girl, about the same age as Penny was now; a black girl.

Before Lucy could comment, Will sighed, rolled his eyes, and said, "Mom had Judy with her first husband. After mom married dad, she had Penny and me."

Lucy said, "Will, all I was going to say was that your family looks very happy.

"Y-you said that your parents died in a traffic accident . . . ?"

Will nodded sadly. "It happened about six months ago. Judy had just turned 18, and was named our Legal Guardian. She had planned to go to Med School, but she had to take care of us, instead." Then, abruptly changing the subject, Will said, "Can I show you some of the models I've already built, Lucy? They're in my room."

Lucy followed Will down the hallway. Her classmate's bedroom was just as spotless, organized and sparsely furnished as the rest of the house. Aside from a bed, an old dresser and a small computer hutch and chair, the room was empty. But what really caught Lucy's attention were the model spaceships hanging from the ceiling by thread.

Lucy noted that they were made of printed cardstock, and were meticulously assembled. She recognized some of the spaceships from their history book. Overhead, several Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules hung, along with Soviet Vostok and Soyuz ships. There were a few Space Shuttles, and even some ships from "Star Wars."

Lucy said, "These are really good, Will!" And then, Lucy's attention was caught by a model that did not seem to fit as either fact or fiction. It was large, and looked more like a space station than a space ship.

Will noticed that Lucy was looking at his latest, completed model. "I just finished that one. It's a model of a proposed Earth-Mars Cycler ship. I'm hoping to use it as my Science Fair project.

"The second man to step on the Moon – Buzz Aldrin – came up with the idea for a ship that constantly travelled between Earth and Mars to ferry people and supplies at regular intervals. Smaller shuttles and landing craft would be used to get people and stuff to and from the planets' surface."

"That's neat," said Lucy as she admired her classmate's work.

Will nodded. "I built it without a kit. In real life, it would be as big as an Imperial Star Destroyer from "Star Wars." The landing shuttles would be about as big as the _Millennium Falcon_." Before Lucy could reply, a voice from the doorway caught them off guard.

"Will, you know the rules," said Penny leaning against the doorframe, arms folded across her chest. "If Judy and me can't have any boys in _our_ rooms, then _you_ can't have any girls."

"Penny, I just brought Lucy in here to show her what kind of models I can build," said Will, "and to get my laptop." Will jerked his thumb toward the computer hutch. Lucy saw that Will had an unusual looking laptop that was dark metallic blue with gold and silver trim.

Lucy realized that Penny was serious. "I mean it, Will. If Ms. Harris makes a surprise visit and catches you two in here together, you know that she'll make a big deal about it. And if Judy has to take any time off from work because of this . . . ."

Will sighed. Not even Ms. Harris could be that obtuse. _Lucy is ten and I just turned eleven,_ thought Will. _If hormones were antimatter, we probably wouldn't have enough between us to blow our noses . . . ._

"We-we're just friends!" said Will, maybe a bit too defensively.

Penny raised a mischievous eyebrow. "Oh, so you DO like her . . . ." It was a statement, not a question.

"W-well . . . ," said Will as he shifted his gaze from his classmate to his sister. "I . . . ."

Penny began a sing-song-y chant, "Will and Lucy sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G –"

Lucy gasped as Will raised a fist to his sister. "STOP IT, SIS! OR I'M GOING _NUCLEAR_!"

"You wouldn't _dare_ ," said Penny, who continued, "First, comes love. Then comes marriage –"

Will struck. Not his sister, but the door she was leaning next to. He knocked three times, and said his sister's name.

"Stop it, Will!" admonished Penny, who continued, "You _know_ I don't like it when someone . . . ."

Will pressed his reprisal attack. Knock*Knock*Knock. "Penny?" Knock*Knock*Knock. "Penny?" Knock*Knock*Knock. "Penny?"

Penny laughed. "All right! ALL RIGHT! I give up! I guess you win _this_ round, Squirt!" She then turned to Lucy, and said, "I get that all the time at school, and I absolutely HATE it! I swear, if I ever get my hands on the people who write for "The Big Bang Theory," I'm gonna . . . ."

Then the Robinson Siblings and Lucy heard another, three knocks. But this time, they were coming from the door to the apartment. Penny and Will turned pale.

"W-what is it?" said Lucy. "Is it your older sister, Judy?"

Seriously, Penny said, "You two get to the living room. Don't open the door until I get my socks and shoes back on!"

Before Lucy knew what was going on, Will took her hand, and led her back to the kitchen table, and then he stood by the door, only opening it when Penny nodded that it was alright.

When he opened the door, Will said, "Hello, Ms. Harris, please come in."

The woman replied, "Hello Will. Penny." She then turned toward Lucy; looking down on her in more ways than one, and added, "And who do we have, here . . . ?"


	5. Ms Harris

**Chapter 5. Ms. Harris**

"M-my name is Lucy Vidrio, Ma'am. I'm a classmate of Will's, and I'm here because we've been assigned a class project at school . . . ."

Ms. Harris said nothing as she brusquely stepped into the Robinsons' apartment, closing the door behind her. She then turned to Lucy, and said, "So, you are a _guest_ of the Robinson family?" A thin smile then crossed Ms. Harris' face. "Tell me, Lucy. When you first got here, did either Will or his sister offer you anything to eat or drink? Answer me, truthfully. And FYI, there IS a _correct_ answer."

"We just got here, Ma'am," said Lucy evenly. "Will just introduced me to his sister and we began setting up to do our school assignment. They haven't offered me anything to eat or drink. Besides, I had brunch with my mom at her Food Truck before coming over here, and I'm full."

"Good," said Ms. Harris. "Because other than water; they can't _legally_ offer you _anything_ to eat or drink. But you'll have to ask them _why_ not. I'm bound by professional confidentiality, you see . . . .

"Now, on to the required, random inspection . . . ." After a cursory glance around, Ms. Harris said, "Penny, I see that there is clutter on the couch that needs to be cleared up."

"That's just my library book," said Penny evenly. "I was reading it when you knocked at the door, and I set it down before I got up to meet you."

"Why is it open and face-down? Is that how you treat books that are not your own? Haven't you ever heard of a bookmark, young lady?" Not giving Penny a chance to answer, Ms. Harris continued. "Please tell me that you were at least _sitting_ on the couch as you read 'your' book like you're supposed to, I hope.

"This couch comes with the apartment, after all. I'd hate to think that you were _abusing_ it by reclining on it with your greasy hair on one armrest and your filthy, bare feet on the other. And don't try to deny it. I was a teenage girl myself, once, way back when. And I know how your kind thinks." Ms. Harris' expression sharpened. "Because if you _were_ abusing the privilege of having a couch; then we'd have to have it cleaned or replaced – at the taxpayers' expense, of course . . . ."

Then Ms. Harris turned her baleful attention to Will. "And what's all this clutter on the kitchen table? That table is for dining purposes, only. Why is it such a mess? And what is this can of _spray paint_ doing here? Spray paint is contraband." Ms. Harris snatched up the can of matte clear spray that Will had next to the printed cardstock. "Are we planning on 'tagging' any buildings, later this evening . . . ?"

"That's a _clear_ spray overcoat, Ms. Harris," said Will. "I need it to protect the finish on my paper models. You can't write _any_ graffiti with it!"

"Still building models, Will? Well, there had better not be any paper scraps on the floors, much less any knife marks on either the kitchen table or the computer hutch in the room you sleep in." Ms. Harris set the spray can back on the table, and went straight to Will's room as Will, Penny and Lucy followed her.

Ms. Harris looked up to see the model spacecraft that Will had built and hung by thread from the ceiling. Those had never been a problem, before. But this time, Ms. Harris paused. Lucy noticed that Ms. Harris' demeanor had changed, and now she had the same, worried – almost terrified look - that Will and Penny had when they first heard her knocking at the door a few minutes earlier.

"W-what's this . . . ? It's . . . new . . . ."

"That's my Earth / Mars Cycler –"

"I-it's a _fire hazard_ , is what it is!" snapped Ms. Harris as she rounded on them. "As are all the other models hanging over that bed! And anyway, who told you that you could poke holes in the ceiling so you could hang your models by thread?"

Penny said, "The apartment manager said that it was alright if Will did that. She told us that her brother used to do that, when he was Will's age. You never complained about it, before."

"Well, I'm complaining _now_ . . . ," said Ms. Harris. She then instructed the Robinson siblings to remove the models from the ceiling. When they were finished, Ms. Harris threw them unceremoniously into a large plastic trash bag. All but the Earth / Mars Cycler; that one, she hand carried.

"Ms. Harris," protested Will. "I need that one for our class' upcoming Science Fair."

"Then I suggest that you pick a different topic.

"Oh, and you may inform your sister-slash-guardian that she may expect a letter from me in a few days to come into my office and discuss this incident in detail. I hope that she is able to take-off work on such short notice . . . .

"And from now on, young man, there will be _no more_ model building in this apartment! If you want to finish your 'class assignment,' may I suggest you find another place to mess-up!" And just as brusquely as she came, Ms. Harris left, but not before stopping off at the kitchen table and confiscating Will's tacky glue and matte clear spray can. "Since your hobby is now prohibited; you won't need this anymore!"

After a few moments of silence, Will said, "At least she didn't get the new #11's I just bought or my hobby knife and cutting board – those are safely in the drawer of my – the apartment's computer hutch."

"I think my mom has some glue like the kind you had at our apartment, Will," said Lucy gently. "Can you build the models without the stuff in the spray can?"

Will nodded. "But I'll have to assemble the models _really_ carefully without the clear spray to keep the ink from smearing if any glue gets on it. I guess I could use Scotch Tape to assemble the models, but it won't look as good . . . ."

Almost fiercely, Lucy said, "Is that Ms. Harris always this _mean_ to you and your sisters, Will?"

"Yeah, but I've never seen her like _this_ , before," said Will. "That bit about Penny's feet on the couch and our school stuff on the kitchen table was pretty standard stuff. But Ms. Harris has never complained about my models. In fact, she pretty much ignored them."

Penny huffed, "Only because if she _didn't_ let you build them; she couldn't 'write us up' for bits of cardstock on the floors." Penny sighed. "But yeah, Will. Something really seems to have pushed her buttons, this time."

Lucy said, "We still need a place for you to build the models for the class project."

Will nodded. "How far away do you live from our place, Lucy?"

"About four or five miles."

"Can your mom give us a ride? We, uh, don't have a car."

"Mom and her friend Sabine are at their Food Truck. But don't worry, Will. I think I can get us a ride!" Lucy took out her phone, and hit speed dial. Lucy said, "Henry? It's Lucy. Can you take me and a friend back to my apartment? We can't do the work for our class project at his place. You can? Thanks!"

After gathering up the supplies they needed and Will's laptop, Will and Lucy waited outside the Robinsons' apartment building at the curb. A few moments later, a car pulled up and Lucy said, "That's our ride, Will, that's Henry! He's a Swyft driver. Let's go!"

A young, brown haired man in his early thirties was driving. Lucy said, "Henry, I'd like you to meet my friend, Will Robinson. Will, this is Henry Mills. He's a, ah, a friend of my mom."

Henry nodded to Will. "How's it going? Lucy tells me that you two have a class project to work on." Not only did Henry listen with interest as Will described the project, he even made a quick stop off at Hyperion Heights Hobbies and Crafts to replace the tacky glue and matte clear spray that Ms. Harris had taken from the two children, and even bought Lucy more markers.

"Thanks again, Mr. Mills," said Will as he and Lucy were dropped-off at the Vidrio's apartment.

"No problem, Will," replied Henry, who then turned to Lucy and added, "Just give me a call when it is time for Will to be taken home, Lucy."

At the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Ms. Harris showed what she had taken from the Robinsons' apartment to her true boss, the alien being known here as Eloise Gardener, AKA Mother Gothel.

"This is a model," began Dr. Smith, "of the spaceship _Resolute_. Will Robinson must have built it recently, _from repressed memory_. He didn't have it when I gave the Robinsons a 'surprise visit' two weeks ago."

Eloise Gardner said nothing. After a few more moments, Dr. Smith continued. "He called it a model of an "Earth / Mars Cycler." That's what the _Resolute_ was, in fact, originally being designed for. But after an event in my world called "The Christmas Star," it was modified for use as an _interstellar_ transport to ferry people and supplies to the new Earth Colony on Alpha Centauri."

"I fail to see how this is my problem . . . ." said the alien, who Dr. Smith managed to determine from past encounters, seemed to believe that she is a witch from old Earth Fairy Tales.

"Because I think that your, uh, _magic_ , may be weakening," said Smith. Gothel looked at her sharply. Smith quickly added, "N-not that I am criticizing your _abilities_ , but I think that your, ah, _ensorcellment_ of the Robinson Siblings – your spell – may be _failing_ . . . . And if they start to remember . . . ."

"Then you will lose all that you have been given."

"Can't you do something about it?" persisted Dr. Smith. "Reinforce the spell . . . ?"

"Do not presume to speak of magic with me, Dr. Smith!" snapped Gothel. She spat in Dr. Smith's face. "What does some craven wench from a _Science Fiction Realm_ know about the mysteries of _Fairy Tale_ magic and its arcane workings?"

Dr. Smith gently wiped Gothel's spittle from her face, and set the tissue on her desk. What did the alien mean by, "from a Science Fiction Realm?" But there was no time to ponder this, now.

Quickly, Dr. Smith said, "I sincerely apologize if I have _offended_ you, Ms. Gardner."

"Well, you _have_ offended me! Your kind has always offended me!" Smith listened carefully as Gothel pressed on. "We were once all _one_ Genre, in the recent past. But then You People split from mine! 'Primitive Magic' had no place in your 'more rational, scientific' approach to Fantasy and High Romance!

"And all the while, you people looked down on my people as "poor relations" and "country bumpkins;" our stories fit for nothing but watered-down fare for entertaining naïve children!"

Dr. Smith said, "I have never, _ever_ thought that way about your – _the_ people of your Realm."

"You should know that you aren't the first person I've ever met from a Science Fiction Realm of Storytelling. Though admittedly, The Doctor never patronized me, and was more respectful of his Fairy Tale Lineage than most of you people are . . . ."

"All I wanted to say is that the Robinson Siblings seem to be on the verge of 'waking-up.' I am just asking for your advice about what more needs to be done to keep the Robinsons 'asleep.'

"As you say, _my people_ know nothing of _magic_. Do you have any advice that you could give me for guidance?"

Gothel sighed; weary that Dr. Smith didn't seem to have the common sense to see the obvious. "The Robinson Siblings' strength is through their _love_ for each other. This is _very_ powerful magic, though you people would undoubtedly attribute it to some other, more 'rational' explanation."

Dr. Smith began to realize what Gothel was suggesting. "And if they were _separated_ from each other, they would be more vulnerable . . . ."

"Very good," said Gothel. "I think you now know what you need to do."

When the alien teleported away; Dr. Smith let herself slip back into June Harris mode. Then she took an envelope from her desk that she had been keeping for the past few months as she waited for such an opportunity to present itself. Removing a swab from the envelope, she dipped it into Gothel's spittle on the Kleenex, and put the swab into the sleeve provided. She then put this into an envelope that had been stamped, and ready.

She left the office, telling her 'supervisor' that she was leaving for lunch, which she actually was.

But first, she had to make a quick stop at the local UPS store . . . .

"Now, Ms. Gothel," said Dr. Smith to herself. "Let's see what "Ancestry Pie-Chart Dot Com" has to say about you . . . ."


	6. The Robinsons Awaken

**Chapter 6. The Robinsons Awaken**

When Will Robinson followed Lucy into her home, the first thing that struck him was how wonderfully cluttered and lived-in the apartment looked. It had a nice, cozy feel to it that his own apartment lacked; making Will feel both welcome and a bit envious at the same time.

Lucy moved some of the clutter aside from the kitchen table, and the two new friends began setting out the supplies they would need to begin their project.

"Mr. Mills seems like a very nice person, Lucy," said Will as he set up his cutting board; a 12" square piece of tempered glass, and took out his steel straightedge. He then chucked a new, #11 blade into his hobby knife. "Have you and your mom known him for very long?"

"You might say that . . . ," said Lucy somewhat cryptically. She then added, "But Henry's not just a Swyft Driver. Did you know that he wrote a book? My _favorite_ book!

"It's titled, "Once Upon A Time." It's a great story about a boy our age that has all kinds of amazing adventures when he finds out that the small town in Maine he lives in is actually full of _Fairy Tale people_ who came from another world!

"Henry Mills isn't as well-known as J.K. Rowling, Rick Riordan or Lemony Snicket. But once _more_ people read his book; it's only a matter of _time_!"

"Another world?" said Will as he inspected one of the sheets for the Apollo 8 C/SM. "You mean like a parallel universe? Is "Once Upon A Time" Science Fiction?"

"Not really," said Lucy. "I mean, some parts of it are, I guess. Dr. Frankenstein and Captain Nemo are among the characters, and they're mostly Science Fiction.

"But you should read it, yourself, Will. I'll loan you my copy if you ever want to read it."

Will mumbled a quick "thanks." He really wasn't a "Fairy Tale" kind of person; he preferred Science Fiction. But he was really starting to like Lucy, and didn't want to risk hurting her feelings. Will really wanted to have a friend at school – even if she was a girl . . . .

Will said, "How about I start on the CS/M model while you look up some basic facts about Apollo 8 for your poster, and take notes?"

"Good luck getting a signal," said Lucy. "The Wi-Fi here isn't too reliable."

"Really?" said Will shrugging. "I've never had that problem anywhere with _my_ computer . . . ." Will opened up the strange looking laptop and Lucy gasped as she saw the most beautiful screensaver that she had ever seen. Sparkling white lights traced a spiral pattern against a blue background, like thousands of fireflies flying in formation.

"What kind of computer is that, Will?" said Lucy.

"I'm not sure," said Will. "I got this computer for my eleventh birthday. I think it might be Alienware."

Will tapped the spacebar, and his desktop came up. But as beautiful as the screensaver was, Lucy found Will's wallpaper to be a little . . . disturbing. A strange symbol that resembled an intersecting figure-eight was surrounded by several dots, and over this, was the ominous caption, "Danger, Will Robinson."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, and said, "Ah, Will . . . ?"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Lucy," said Will as he logged on to the Internet. "I think my mom or dad must have put that on the wallpaper to remind me that the Internet can be a dangerous place for kids. Anyway, I never got around to changing it."

Lucy nodded, and then Googled "Apollo 8," bringing up pages of hits. Starting with Wikipedia, Lucy began to jot down some notes.

Will said, "Do you have an outdoor balcony, or a space in the basement where I can spray the clear coat?"

"Sure," said Lucy. "I'll show you." Will gathered up his cardstock and some old newspaper to use as a drop cloth, and followed Lucy onto the apartment's balcony. It had gotten a bit windy out, so setting the printed cardstock on the newspaper was out of the question. But Lucy had an idea.

Taking the foam-core board for her poster and some poster tack, Lucy fastened the cardstock sheets to the board and set this against the railing so Will could spray the sheets. The board was big enough to hold four sheets at a time, and the spraying was done in short order. Then Will and Lucy carefully set the sprayed cardstock sheets on the couch to dry.

"The spray should be dry enough to handle in about half an hour," said Will. "Then I can start cutting them out and gluing them together. Your foam-core board should also be dry by then."

"We can do the research for the poster while we wait," said Lucy. They returned to the computer, which was now showing the screensaver that Lucy thought was so beautiful. Somewhat reluctantly, Lucy tapped the spacebar. But instead of the Wikipedia entry for Apollo 8, the computer showed a picture of the Robinson Family. This one showed Will and his sisters wearing swimsuits, clowning around as they washed a large white SUV on the driveway of a futuristic looking house.

Lucy said, "Is - is this where you and your family used to live?"

Will nodded wistfully. "That's our home – was our home – at #2 Jupiter Estates. Before mom and dad died, and we had to move to Hyperion Heights."

"It looks like a . . . a very nice place to live," said Lucy, immediately regretting what she might have implied.

"We really didn't _own_ it, ourselves," said Will. "We got to live there because of mom's job as a physicist at NASA. Jupiter Estates is a special housing development of experimental, eco-friendly houses. A lot of families who worked for NASA got to live there. Each house also came with a fully electric, Chariot SUV.

"My sisters and I were at school when we got the news that mom and dad died in a traffic accident. Some idiot who was texting while driving ran a stoplight.

"Then, a few hours after we got home, the FBI came with a SWAT team, and told us we had to leave the house because mom was under some kind of investigation at work. They wouldn't tell us why; they just said that she was accused of "falsifying documentation," and that the lawyers would handle it.

"But they also said that we couldn't live in the house, anymore. And they wouldn't let us take any of our stuff with us until their investigation was finished. They even strip-searched us before Ms. Harris came from the Department of Social and Health Services to take us into custody.

"Anyway, Judy was able to get appointed Penny's and my Guardian, since she was 18. About a week later, we ended up here."

"That sounds terrible, Will," said Lucy softly.

Will nodded, Lucy thought that her friend was trying to keep from crying. "The worst part is that, just when you think that things _can't_ possibly get any worse, something else happens that shows you it _can_.

"Do you know what Ms. Harris meant when she said that I would not be able to offer you anything for a snack except water at my apartment, but that she couldn't tell you why?

"Judy doesn't make enough at her job to cover our needs. We get help from Food Stamps, each month. And the rules say that we're not supposed to let anyone else eat with us."

Lucy nodded. She and her mom had been there themselves, a few times, before mom and Sabine got their successful " _Rollin' Bayou_ " food truck business up and running. Lucy remembered the smile on her mom's face when she made a big deal about cutting up her EBT Card.

"My sisters and I are pretty close, and that helps," continued Will. He then turned to Lucy, and smiled. "And it's great to finally make a friend. This school project is the best thing to have happened to me since . . . ." Will sniffled, and looked away, embarrassed.

Lucy took a deep breath. Will _was_ her friend, and he was in needed help and reassurance. She wanted to hug him, and assure him that things _would_ get better. But Lucy also knew that boys could be funny about things like this. So maybe this wasn't a job for a girl. Maybe something like this needed a _boy's_ touch. And she knew just the 'boy' who could do it . . . .

Lucy excused herself, and ran into her room. She was back in an instant with a large, white book with gold trim. "This is the book I told you about, Will. "Once Upon A Time;" the one Henry Mills wrote."

Will sighed. "No thanks, Lucy. I mean, I like you a lot. And I wouldn't mind hanging with you after school – or even at school. But I don't like reading Fairy Tales. I'm more into Science Fiction, myself."

"Well, I like Science Fiction too, Will," said Lucy. "At least, I like some of it. "Star Wars" is alright. So is "The Search for WondLa." But too much Science Fiction makes me feel sad . . . .

"I can't read anything like "The Hunger Games," "Divergent," or "The Handmaid's Tale;" the people in those stories are suffering and are mostly living without any hope."

"How's that different from a story like "Cinderella?" said Will.

Lucy smiled. "Because unlike people in Science Fiction; Fairy Tale characters _never_ give up on hope! No matter how bad things might seem at any given time, they continue to believe in Happy Endings!"

"It sounds silly," said Will, immediately regretting what he said to his only friend; especially since she was only trying to help.

"It really isn't," said Lucy sincerely. "Hope is a very powerful force, Will. Believing in even the possibility of a Happy Ending is a very powerful thing. Hope is the foundation of all Fairy Tales. But I don't see a lot of that in Science Fiction."

"And you think that giving me a book of Fairy Tales to read is going to help?"

"What do you think Fairy Tales are for, Will?" said Lucy seriously. "These stories, the classics . . . there's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world – a world that doesn't always make sense."

"Please, Will," said Lucy. "Just borrow my book, and read it to yourself before you go to bed! It will help you realize that life can get better if you just hold on to hope!"

Will sighed. Though skeptical, he did not want to put-off his new, (and so far, only,) friend that he had made since he and his sisters first came to Hyperion Heights six months earlier. Will said, "I'll give it a try," and held out his hands to accept his friend's offer.

And the moment he touched Lucy Vidrio's book, Will Robinson felt a rush of understanding flow through him. He remembered who he and his sisters really were.

Lucy's eyes were wide with wonder as she saw a burst of rainbow light radiate from her friend, who was gripping the storybook tightly. "A-are you alright, Will?"

"I – I remember . . . ," said Will quietly. "Lucy, I remember . . . ."

And back at the Robinson's apartment, a wave of rainbow light passed over Penny, who sat up and closed her book as she also remembered . . . .

And at Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack, Judy almost dropped a customer's order, and barely heard her manager telling her to stop daydreaming and get back to work.

But Judy was not daydreaming. She was remembering.

And at the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Ms. Harris felt something . . . odd. A strange feeling passed over her that something may be amiss. But just as quickly as it came, it passed. Dismissing the feeling as an anomaly, Ms. Harris checked her email for the third time in the hour, hoping that this time, her expedited order from "Ancestry Pie-Chart Dot Com" was finally finished being processed.


	7. Lunch at Roni's

**Chapter 7. Lunch at Roni's**

When Will Robinson managed to collect his thoughts, the first thing that he said was, "Lucy, you're probably going to find this hard to believe . . . . But my sisters and I . . . are from . . . the _future_."

"That explains a lot . . . ," said Lucy a bit too easily.

"No!" said Will desperately. "I _really_ AM from the _future_!"

"I _believe_ you, Will."

"Please don't make fun of me!" exclaimed Will. "I'm telling the truth! And I'm NOT crazy!"

Lucy sighed. "If you want to know _why_ I believe you Will, just turn _around_. . . ."

Will didn't move. But from behind him, a familiar voice said, "Danger, Will Robinson."

"Robot!" said Will. He quickly turned and hugged the metallic blue giant standing behind him.

Lucy said, "Even if your laptop didn't just turn into Megatron Junior, I _saw_ the curse that you were under being lifted when you touched my book.

"Better call your sisters to see if they remember, too."

Suddenly, Will became suspicious. Lucy was taking this situation a bit _too_ easy; as though stuff like this happened all the time, here in Hyperion Heights. "You sure seem calm about this. How come . . . ?"

"Because my mom and I are _also_ from another world, and we are living under a curse," said Lucy calmly. "And in our home world, my mom is _Cinderella_. Or, rather, she's a _version_ of Cinderella. But because of the curse, she doesn't remember. . . .

"In my book, the Cinderella in Storybrooke, Maine, was named Ashley Boyd. But my mom, Jacinda Vidrio, is the Cinderella from _another_ Realm." Lucy sighed. "It's complicated, Will. But it looks like you and your sisters and your Robot were also cursed, the same as we are.

"How did it happen to you and your sisters?"

Will told Lucy about the encounter that he and his sisters had with the powerful alien being who called herself "Gothel," and how she sent them into the past as punishment for trespassing in her "garden."

"This Gothel is a very powerful being," said Will shuddering. "She must be highly advanced; or maybe she's some kind of energy life form. She could speak our language, teleport, manipulate matter, and is even capable of Fourth Dimensional Travel – time travel." Will shook his head. "I – I would have thought that a being like that would not have seen me and my sisters as a threat."

Then Will managed a smile. "But the _good news_ is that this means my mom and dad are _alive_! They weren't with us when the alien sent us back in time to 2018 Earth. They must still be on the planet we landed on, back at the Jupiter 2 . . . looking for us . . . ."

Lucy said, "What year do you come from, Will?"

"I – we – I – I . . . ," Will shook with frustration. "I don't know, Lucy! I don't remember. Maybe Gothel did something to us so we wouldn't remember when we came from to make it harder for us to find our way back!"

Lucy said, "Will, what are things like in the future, where, ah, _when_ you come from? Maybe we can get an idea of when you are from, that way."

"Well . . . ," said Will. "Like, what do you mean . . . ?"

Lucy thought for a moment, and said, "Your sister Penny had a picture of Taylor Swift on her tee-shirt. Have you ever actually heard of Taylor Swift, Will? Or is she considered "Classical Music" in your time?"

"Of course I've heard of Taylor Swift," said Will nodding. "She's a very famous singer. She's older than mom and dad. She was really popular in their time, but she's still very popular; mostly on the "Oldies" stations. Some people were calling her "Streisand's Successor," at the last Billboard Music Awards; whatever _that_ means. And she even had a really big, Hit Single that was popular just before we left Earth for Alpha Centauri.

"It was called, "I Think I Was the Problem."

Lucy rolled her eyes. _It sure took Tay-Tay long enough . . . ._ But then Lucy did some quick math, and said, "OK, Taylor Swift is 28 right now – she was born in 1989. So, if she's _still_ performing in your time, and she is older than your parents, then you must be from . . . I dunno, 30 to 50 years from now?

"Does that sound about right, Will . . . ?"

"I don't know, Lucy," said Will, fighting back tears. "I just _can't_ remember, and I don't know _why_ . . . ."

Lucy took her friend's hand. The Robot turned to look, but did not do anything else. Lucy said, "Maybe your sisters know. When the curse broke for you, it should have broken for them, too!

"You need to call them, Will."

Will nodded, and took out his cellphone. He had turned off the ringer so he and Lucy wouldn't be disturbed while they worked on their class project. But Will realized that he had also turned off the vibrator, as well, and when he checked his phone, he saw that both Judy and Penny had been blowing up his text messages for about the last 10 minutes.

Will texted Judy and Penny, and after several tense minutes, Will turned to Lucy and said, "They're alright, Lucy! And they remember our encounter with Gothel, too!

"But, what do we do now, Lucy? We're just kids."

Lucy thought for a moment, and said, "I think I know someone who can help you and your sisters, Will.

"My Grandmother Roni is also 'awake.' She'll know what to do! I've got to get you and your sisters to see her." Lucy looked up at the Robot, its faceplate showing the same firefly-on-blue-background screensaver image as it did when it was Will's laptop. "But we can't leave your Robot, here.

"My mom and Sabine will be coming home from work, soon. They're still under the curse, and your Robot will come as quite a shock to them . . . ."

Lucy weighed their options. Even if Henry wasn't under the influence of the curse, Will's Robot looked too big to fit in his car. Mom's and Sabine's " _Rollin' Bayou_ " food truck would be big enough to transport the Robot. But they were both still under the influence of the curse as well.

Will said, "How far away is Roni's place, Lucy?"

"Not too far from here, Will. We could walk there. But we can't let anyone see the Robot on the street."

"Or, _maybe_ we can . . . ." The boy from the future pointed to Lucy's foam-core board and markers on the kitchen table, and smiled. "I think I may have an idea . . . ."

The walk to Roni's was not without incident, but it went smoother than Lucy expected, and when they got there, they were relieved to see that Judy – still in her Mr. Cluck's uniform – and Penny, were already there to meet them. They were sitting at a table with a woman that Will assumed was Roni.

Though Lucy said that Roni was her grandmother, Will noticed that Roni appeared to be in her late 30's or early 40's. She wore a denim outfit and a tank top and had dark, shoulder-length hair. But the moment she smiled at Will, he actually felt something that he hadn't felt in a long time: real hope.

The Robinson sisters jumped from the table and Will ran to them, as Lucy and Roni witnessed a tearful, yet joyful reunion.

"Let me guess, squirt," said Judy. "The Robot was that weird laptop you "got for your birthday?" Will nodded.

Penny said, "How did you manage to get the Robot here without causing a major panic in the streets?"

Will said nothing. He jerked his thumb back at the Robot, who was carrying a sign written on Lucy's foam-core board that said, "Watch for New Comic Book Store Opening Soon in Hyperion Heights!"

Penny nodded and laughed. "I like the way you think!" And that made everyone else laugh, too.

Lucy said, "Will, I'd like for you and your sisters to meet Roni."

"We've met," said Judy. "Your friend Henry Mills dropped us off here about ten minutes ago, but he couldn't stay. Thanks for arranging the ride, Lucy."

Roni said, "It sounds like the three of you," she glanced sideways at the Robot, and said, "make that the four of you, had a run-in with Mother Gothel. Let's see what we can do about it."

Roni motioned them to sit at a corner table. "Fortunately, my bar opens late today, and we may speak without interruptions. But first, I'd like to get you three and Lucy something good to eat.

"Do hamburgers and fries sound good?" When the Robinson Siblings and Lucy nodded enthusiastically, Roni added, "And maybe a gallon of Premium Unleaded for your big, blue friend, here?"

The Robinson girls giggled. Will said, "We actually don't know what his power source is, Ma'am. He wasn't made on Earth."

"Oh, please call me "Roni," Will; everyone here does." Roni then turned to Lucy, and added, "Can you help me a bit in the kitchen? I'm sure the Robinsons will want a moment or two to get caught up with each other."

Lucy nodded and followed her grandmother into the kitchen.

When Roni and Lucy were gone, Will said, "Judy, Penny; Lucy told me something very strange. She said that she is the daughter of _Cinderella_ , from the Fairy Tales . . . ." Will no longer had his laptop, but this was no deterrent to him from finding out more information. He took out his smartphone, and Googled, "Judy, Penny and Will Robinson," as his sisters moved closer to look at the tiny screen . . . .

When Roni and Lucy were in the kitchen, Roni said, "Lucy, I think that we can help your friend and his sisters, but this has to be done . . . carefully. They are from a Realm of Storytelling, but they are . . . _different_ from us, Lucy."

"What do you mean, Roni?"

"I mean that the Robinsons are not from a _Fairy Tale_ Realm of Storytelling; they are _Science Fiction_. And people from those Realms of Storytelling do not have our "meta-awareness;" they don't actually know that they are from a Fictional Realm. And now that the curse Gothel has placed on them has been broken, they could be emotionally devastated if they were to ever find this out."

Lucy looked worried. "So, what do we do, Roni?"

"We have to get your friends back home as soon as possible. The longer they are here in Hyperion Heights, the more they are at risk of discovering a very uncomfortable truth about their existence.

"Fortunately, I do have something from a Science Fiction Realm that might help. Or rather, I know where it may be found." Roni took out her phone, and called Detective Weaver.

 **Author's Note:** I will be taking a short hiatus from writing to catch up on household affairs. I hope to be back in five to six weeks, and will resume posting chapters for both my currently in-progress stories. I want to thank all of my readers in advance for their patience and understanding.


	8. The Fantasy Genre Schism

**Chapter 8. The Fantasy Genre Schism**

When Roni and Lucy brought out the thick hamburgers and seasoned fries that Roni's was famous for, the Robinsons dug in. It was the largest meal that they could remember eating in a long time, after what seemed like an eternity of MRE's on the Resolute, and the simple fare that they could barely afford while under Gothel's curse.

But while the Robinson Siblings ate heartily, Roni and Lucy couldn't help but notice that they seemed to be distracted by something. They kept looking at each other as though they had something to say, but couldn't think of how to say it, or who among them should be the first to bring it up.

Lucy took the initiative. "Will, is something wrong?"

"Uh, no Lucy . . . ," said Will, setting his burger back on the plate. Will took a drink to clear his mouth, and added, "These are the best burgers I've ever tasted, Roni!" Will's sisters, both with full mouths, nodded in agreement. But then they resumed their sideways glances at each other.

Roni smiled warmly, and said, "Alright, you three. I've tended bar long enough to know when something is on one of my customers' minds, and I can tell that there's something bothering you above and beyond your 'misunderstanding' with Gothel that got you . . . sent back in time.

"But I want to reassure you that, while it may require a bit more effort to get _my_ family free from Gothel's wrath, I have an idea that might work for the three of you and your Robot."

Both Judy and Penny looked at Will. The boy shrugged, took a deep breath, and said, "Before we came here, back at her apartment, Lucy told me that she's the daughter of "Cinderella," from the old fairy tales. I don't know what this Gothel has in mind, but it looks like she's playing the same game with us, too.

"When I Googled "Judy, Penny and Will Robinson, I found this . . . ." Will took out his smartphone, and handed it to Roni.

Leaning over Roni's shoulder, Lucy read what she saw, looked up at Will and his sisters, and said, "An old TV show called "Lost in Space?" Feeling a sudden chill, Lucy added, "W-what does this mean . . . ?"

Before Will or either of his sisters could answer, Roni took a deep, cleansing breath, and said, "Let's find out." Roni went to the bar to retrieve the remote for the TV, and within a few moments, she was able to call up the classic TV series from the mid-1960's that Will found with his smartphone. As she did this, the Robinson Siblings and Lucy moved everyone's plates and glasses to the table closest to the TV.

For the next several hours, they watched in near silence – broken only by the occasional comment.

Judy was incredulous: "No, they do NOT have some blonde, white-girl playing me . . . !"

Penny shrugged, and said, "You got off easy, sis. According to this, I'm supposed to be some naïve Pollyanna!" Affecting an exaggerated, sing-song-y Irish Lilt, Penny said, "We're landing on a new planet? Ooooohhh! I wonder if we'll find any Nargles, there . . . ?" Returning to her normal voice, Penny added, "Besides, they got some old _guy_ portraying Dr. Smith . . . ."

The Robinsons all giggled at that. Then Will said, "I guess they didn't do such a bad job on me - if you overlook the fact that they're showing me as a cross between Opie Taylor and Wesley Crusher . . . ." But one thing that Will had to admit that he liked was the way this version of him – a 1960's boy thrust into a Retro-Future 1990's – seemed to have such an easy relationship with his _scientist_ father: _Professor_ John Robinson.

Though Will loved his father dearly, his dad's duties as a Navy SEAL kept him away from home for extended periods, and they rarely had the luxury of spending a lot of time together; something that this fictional version of his family probably did not have to experience . . . .

Fictional . . . .

"WHY IS GOTHEL DOING THIS TO US?!" said Judy with a sudden fierceness that startled everyone. "Just because we made a mistake and trespassed in her stupid garden? If she just _told_ us to leave, we would have left! She didn't have to send us _back in time_!"

Will said, "But why is she also trying to make us think that we're characters from an old TV show?"

"And why now?" said Penny thoughtfully. "Why not do it while we were still under the influence of her primary illusion?"

"A 'layered illusion,' maybe . . . ?" suggested Judy. "A back-up in case the primary illusion failed - like it did when Will touched Lucy's book . . . ?"

Will's voice was subdued. "What if it's true? What if we're in some kind of parallel universe where we're, you know . . . _fictional_ . . . ?"

Judy sighed loudly, turned to her brother, and said, "Will, that's . . . that's impossible."

"Why not?" said Penny. "I mean, if Lucy's mom is "Cinderella," then why couldn't we be . . . maybe we could be . . . ."

"Characters from a stupid, old 1960's TV show?" said Judy. "Did you even hear yourself speak, sis?"

Will said, "Guys, remember when mom told us about the theories of that Dr. Everett guy, and his "many worlds interpretation" of quantum physics –"

"That's completely different!" said Judy firmly. "A 'parallel universe' is a world where the Roman Empire never fell, or The South won the Civil War; NOT a world where we are . . . are characters in a storybook, much less a TV show!"

Will was almost in tears, and it was not because of the way his sister snapped at him. "But it's the most logical explanation there is, given what we have been through."

"No," said Judy. "NO! We are people! Real people; not fictional characters in _anybody's_ story!"

The Robinsons began bickering among themselves. Roni whistled loud enough to get everyone's attention. When she had it, she said, "Do you three trust me?" The Robinsons looked to each other, and back again to Roni and Lucy. Again, Roni said, "Do you _trust_ me?

"Do you trust that I am not going to hurt you, and that I have your best interest at heart, and that my promise to do everything possible to get you back home to your world, your family, is sincere?"

After what seemed an eternity, the Robinsons nodded to Roni. Judy said, "We trust you, Roni. But we are _real_ , living people!"

"Of course you are," said Roni, in a careful tone of voice that was far from patronizing. "Even as Lucy and I are real, living people; real, living people who for now, accept the fact that they are the daughter of Cinderella . . . and the Evil Queen, from the tale of "Snow White." Relived that _this_ revelation did not seem to further disturb the Robinsons, Roni Continued, "Right now, the 'nature of the multiverse' is not the issue you need to concern yourselves with. The important thing is getting the three of you and your Robot safely back home to your parents. But to do this, I'm going to need your . . . cooperation . . . .

"And part of this cooperation is that, for at least the time being, I would ask for you to operate under the, ah, 'working theory' that - in at least some parts of the 'multiverse' - reality takes this . . . unusual – and from your point of view, improbable - form."

Penny said, "So, if we are characters in someone's story – like the Baudelaire Orphans in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" – does this mean that there is an 'author' like Lemony Snicket writing everything that we are doing and saying as part of a story . . . ?"

Roni smiled comfortingly. "Your lives – _our lives_ – are not _preordained_ by The Authors. The Authors are not gods, much less G-d.

"There are many authors; it's a job, not an individual. In my case, it was the Brothers Grimm who recorded my story, or at least a version of it. In Lucy and her mother's case, it was Charles Perrault. And apparently, the author tasked with recording your story – or a version of it - was a man named Irwin Allen – at least according to the credits on the show we watched.

"But that is all the author does: To bear witness to the greatest stories of all time and record them for posterity."

"But wait," said Will. "If you and Lucy are, ah, "Fairy Tales," would that make my sisters and me and the Robot . . . what, " _Science Fiction_ . . . ?"

"But, assuming this is factual," said Penny a bit calmer now, "then, how is it possible for, ah, 'Science Fiction' characters to be part of a 'Fairy Tale' story?"

"Sometimes, Roni said, "Different 'genres' interact with each other in a story. No one really knows why these, ah, 'crossovers' happen. But sometimes, they do.

"And really, our two . . . 'genres' are not so different from each other. In the distant past, they were part of the same world of fantasy. But recently, they 'split' into separate realms that explore the same themes differently; or at least, approach them from different perspectives.

"We have trolls, ogres and dragons. You have alien creatures, cyborgs, or genetically engineered life forms. We have magic beans, you have spaceships and stargates."

"But those are totally different things," said Judy, now a bit calmer, herself. "Dragons are _fantasy_. Extra-terrestrial creatures and people are real, and have been _theoretically real_ for a very long time. And our spaceships and technology operate according to the laws of physics – and we don't wave magic wands around and say "abracadabra" to make things appear out of thin air."

"Don't you?" said Roni. "When magic was available, I could conjure items I needed out of thin air. How is that any different from 'printing' something with a 3D Printer?"

"It's completely different," said Judy reasonably. "The 3D Printers on the Resolute and our Jupiter-class ships is hard science fact; magic isn't. For that matter, there is a simple, 3D Printer at the library up the street that anyone can use for a fee. It isn't as advanced as the ones we have, but this is the past."

Roni said, "Then try looking at it from the viewpoint of a person from, say, 50 years in the past. To someone from 1968; a 3D Printer would have been seen as something from 'Science Fiction.' I would even bet my net profit from the bar this month that even some _engineers_ from 1968 would have thought as much, too.

"My point is that, just because you can't understand how something works, that doesn't make it 'fantasy.' And just because you can't explain something 'scientifically,' that doesn't mean that it isn't 'real.'

"Besides, didn't a famous Science Fiction Author once say that, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic?

Penny said, "That was Arthur C. Clarke. "But Judy's right. There is a difference between science and magic."

Roni thought for a moment, and said, "That is actually the core of the schism between Fairy Tales and Science Fiction. While the primary purpose of any story is to entertain, really good stories do this in part by illustrating a moral or an object lesson. But in many instances, these morals and lessons were lost the moment something 'improbable' happened that was needed to move the story along.

"And so, Aladdin's magic carpet became a helicopter. Ogres became Martians. And magic swords became ray guns. But the timeless stories and their morals and lessons remained the same."

Will said, "Timeless . . . . _That_ explains why we can't remember what year we come from."

Roni nodded. "The Realms of Storytelling that we all come from exist outside of time, unlike the world we now find ourselves in.

"But I think that we're digressing, a bit. We can't waste too much time speculating on why things are the way they are. The main problem is getting you and your Robot safely back home. And to do this, it might be best for you to accept that this is how things are, for now."

Sounding more weary than incredulous, Judy said, "How are we supposed to do that?"

"Remember when I said that sometimes, different genres interact with each other? Well, there are times that when this happens – when someone from one Realm of Storytelling inadvertently finds themselves in a different Realm – we have the means to call for help from other Realms to set things right."

Penny brightened. "You mean you have some kind of communications device to contact our Realm so they can get us back home?" Judy rolled her eyes and gave her sister a pitying stare, but said nothing.

"Not me, personally," admitted Roni. "But I called someone here who might have access to one. They said they would "do what they could."

No sooner did Roni finish speaking, everyone became aware of a strange, wheezing /groaning noise that sounded like, **"** **EERrwWwoooooSHHHhEERrwWwoooooSHHHhEERrwWwoooooSHHHh,"** and was getting louder and louder by the moment.

Roni said, "I think we'd all better stand back!" As the noise reached a crescendo, an object began to materialize in the center of the room that looked like an old-fashioned, blue telephone booth of some kind with a funny looking light on top. When the object became fully solid, the noise stopped.

The door opened, and a tall, grinning man stepped out. He was wearing a flamboyant frock coat and a wide-brimmed hat that could not cover the mass of dark curls spilling out from underneath. But what really caught everyone's attention was his strange, multicolored scarf that seemed to be twice as long as the man wearing it was tall.

Roni smiled warmly. There were as many versions of this character as there were of The Evil Queen. But this version was the one Roni liked the best. If nothing else, his height, coat and scarf vaguely reminded her of her son . . . .

"N-no way . . . ," said Penny, as much amazed as incredulous.

"Who is it, sis?" said Will.

"Offhand," said Penny grinning broadly. "I'd say he's our ride home!"

The man smiled, and in a sonorous voice, said, "Hello, everyone! Regina! It's been ages!" He then removed a small bag from one of his frock coat's many pockets. "Would anyone like a Jelly Baby . . . ?"


	9. Dr Smith's Epiphany

**Chapter 9. Dr. Smith's Epiphany**

June Harris was expecting to hear from "Ancestry Pie-Chart Dot Com" sooner rather than later, but she was very pleasantly surprised to receive a personal call from a company representative. They told her that they were sorry, but that they were unable to make a determination with the DNA swab that she sent them, adding that the sample provided must have been contaminated. When pressed, the representative said that the lab results were more congruent with plant DNA than human. After a few more pleasantries, Ms. Harris said that she would send in a new sample, soon.

After ending the call, Ms. Harris smiled. Who knows? Maybe she actually _would_ send in a sample of her own DNA, later on. If nothing else, the results should prove interesting. But for now, she had other things to do, and chief among them was making sure that those pesky Robinsons were no longer a threat to a good life that she had become quite accustomed to.

But first, she needed to make a quick stop at the hardware store . . . .

"Go ahead," said the man who introduced himself as The Doctor to the skeptical Robinson Siblings. "Help yourselves. Quite a treat, Jelly Babies; my personal favorite. Though I'm also partial to Jammie Dodgers - or will be one day, at any rate . . . ."

"Thank you for coming so quickly," said Roni, who then nodded in the direction of the open door of the Blue Box. "Is anyone else with you? If Gothel decides to drop in, we could use all the help we can get."

The Doctor shook his head. "I'm alone, this time. I dropped-off my current traveling companions, the Time Lady Romana and K9, at a safe location to await my return. If a confrontation with Mother Gothel is unavoidable, then diplomacy might be more effective than a blatant 'show of force.'" The Doctor then turned to the Robinson Siblings, and said, "So, what's this all about, then?"

The Robinsons, Roni and Lucy each took a Jelly Baby, and then told The Doctor what had happened that brought the Robinson Siblings, Dr. Smith and their Robot to this world.

The Doctor said, "Now, Regina - or Roni, if you prefer - you realize that I will not be able to assist you and your granddaughter, or any of the other," The Doctor glanced over to the Robinsons, then back to Roni, and continued, " . . . people from 'your world' who are stuck here in Hyperion Heights, in your conflict with Mother Gothel. That is an _internal_ matter that I mustn't involve myself in."

"I understand. And please, just call me "Roni."

The Doctor nodded, and continued. "The Robinsons and Dr. Smith though, are another kettle of fish. They are within my, shall we say, "Jurisdiction."

"And, how _exactly_ will you be able to help us?" said Judy nervously, who fought back a sudden feeling of being trapped immobilized in ice and suffocating. _At least the false memories implanted by Gothel did not include flashbacks of my near-death_ , thought Judy sardonically.

"The simplest way is to bring all of you back to the planet that your ship landed on when you had your confrontation with Mother Gothel. If I bring you back several minutes after you were abducted, it should not interfere with your sto _-_ ah, the _correct flow of history_."

"It's alright, sir," said Will softly. "We already know that we're really characters in a story . . . ."

"Oh, so . . . ?" said The Doctor pensively. "I . . . see . . . .

"Roni, may we have a word in private, please?"

The moment that Roni and The Doctor were back in the kitchen, Roni said, "Alright, Doctor, what's this all about?"

"The Robinson siblings – this version of them, anyway, - are becoming _Meta Aware_. This could be emotionally dangerous for them."

"They seem to be handling it well enough," said Roni cautiously. "But something tells me that you're operating under a different impression."

The Doctor nodded, impressed by Roni's concern for the Robinson Siblings. _Whatever else may have happened since our last encounter, the 'Evil Queen' definitely seems to be taking some very real steps towards true redemption._ "Their memories will need to be . . . _modified_ , as well. Preferably so they will not remember their confrontation with Mother Gothel in the first place. I have the ability to do this, but it is not something that I am entirely comfortable with. Dodgy thing, memory modification . . . ."

"Then why not leave their memories alone?" said Roni. "Yes, they've had a hard time, here in Hyperion Heights. But my granddaughter Lucy and Will Robinson are _friends_. I'm sure that he would want to remember her. Surely there must be some other way?"

The Doctor sighed. "Having Will and his sisters remembering their time here in Hyperion Heights isn't the problem. The problem is that few people in the Realms of Storytelling are capable of handling Meta Awareness; especially when it is thrust upon them.

"And now that the Robinson Siblings _know_ that they are characters in a story – at least in some parts of the multiverse – this could have long-term emotional impact on them."

"That's what I thought, at first," said Roni shaking her head. "But they seem like resilient, well-adjusted kids. They seem to be taking it exceptionally well."

The Doctor shrugged, "Some people _do_ handle the realization of Meta-Awareness better than others.

"It's easier for someone from a Fairy Tale Realm to accept Meta-Awareness than it is for people from other Realms of Storytelling. Fairy Tales have been around for ages, and are more . . . 'seasoned,' for lack of a better word. But the same is not entirely true for people from other Realms; particularly those from more recent genres like Science Fiction.

"Oh, there _are_ exceptions to the general rule. I was in a Dramedy Realm one time, and helped two detectives solve a rather perplexing case. Maddie and David were as Meta-Aware as they come. But they were adults, and the Robinsons are one, _freshly-minted_ adult and two _children_.

"Now, while it's true that people from Science Fiction Realms of Storytelling _are_ 'hard-wired' to handle some pretty weird situations; something like this could potentially play havoc with their emotional sanity, long term. It's a dangerous thing for a Science Fiction to become Meta-Aware."

Roni asked the question begged: "Just _how_ dangerous?"

Again, The Doctor shuddered. "Does the name, 'Wade Wilson,' mean anything to you?"

"But they _seem_ to be handling it well enough." Roni insisted firmly.

"For now," admitted The Doctor. "But presently, they're under a lot of pressure that's requiring their immediate and undivided mental attention. Simply put, they are being 'distracted' in a major way, but only for the moment.

"I'm mainly worried about what happens when I do get them safely back home to their family, and they then have the time to thoroughly ruminate on the implications of what they have learned at their leisure . . . ."

Roni said, "Alright, then what do you suggest?"

"The only thing I can do." The Doctor sighed. "Memory modification it is, then . . . .

"Right. Let's get this over with. The longer I am here, the greater the chance for a direct confrontation with Mother Gothel. So, the first order of business will be to find Dr. Smith . . . ."

Roni and The Doctor left the kitchen and headed to the bar, only to see that the Robinson Siblings and Lucy were not alone. An attractive, 40-something woman in a business suit had joined them. And whoever she was, she seemed to have the Robinsons and Lucy frightened.

The Robot said, "Danger Will Robinson."

Lucy said, "Roni! Help us!"

Though Roni's expression was pleasant enough, her tone hardened as she addressed the woman. "You know, we have signs for a reason, lady . . . .

"For example, the sign I posted on my door this morning says that the bar is closed until five this evening for inventory. My watch says it's ten to four. Kindly leave now, or I won't bother to call the cops; I'll just have to throw you out, myself!"

"Actually, I'm here on important business." The woman smiled and held up an official looking ID. "My name is June Harris. I'm a Social Worker with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, and I am here to take the Robinson Siblings into custody; specifically, Penny and Will – they'll need to be placed in Foster Care, immediately.

"I'm sorry, Judy. But your Guardianship over your younger sister and brother has been revoked. It seems that some money was missing from the cash register where you work, and you've been fired and have an arrest warrant pending.

"Really, Judy; you probably should have finished the day rather than take off early on some lame excuse just after helping yourself to a few hundred dollars. Just couldn't wait to 'hit the mall,' could we . . . ?"

"Stop pretending," said Will. "If we're "awake," then you must be, too, 'Ms. Harris;' or should I say, "Dr. Smith . . . ?"

The Doctor said, "So, _you're_ the Dr. Smith in this iteration? Well, if nothing else, you're easier on the eye than the last two Dr. Smiths that I've had the dubious 'pleasure' of meeting."

Dr. Smith regarded the man in the ridiculous outfit with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Seriously, you DO look good as a woman," said The Doctor conversationally. "I just may want to try that out for myself, someday . . . .

"But, in any event, your fortuitous arrival saves me the trouble of tracking you down so I may take you back home, along with the Robinsons."

Dr. Smith smiled, and said, "Well, it seems that Shakespeare was right, after all . . . .

" _All the world's a stage. And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts . . . ."_ "As You Like It;" Act II, Scene VII.

"At least that's how it's written in the universe I come from. I haven't had the opportunity to see if that's how it was written, in this universe . . . .

"But The Bard really had no idea just how right he was, did he . . . ?"

Judy said, "You know _what_ we are, then?"

"Characters in a story?" said Dr. Smith pleasantly. "Oh, yes, I actually figured that out about a week ago. There were a lot of little clues pointing in that direction all along. But what really closed the deal for me was, try as I might, I just _couldn't_ remember the year we came from, much less the year I was born . . . ."

"And do you know what? It explains so many things; why my life was the way it was . . . it all makes sense, now. In many ways, it is actually a _very_ comforting thought . . . ."

"You call something like this ' _comforting_?'" Judy said incredulously.

Again, Dr. Smith smiled. "Earlier today, I had a feeling that something was . . . different. I couldn't put my finger on it, at the time. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that what I had was an insight; a kind of mellow-epiphany that allowed me to clearly see my true place in the Universe. And, at present, it is a place that I would like to remain in. For once, _My Story_ is going the way _I_ want it to go.

"I work because I want to, not because I have to. I'm independently wealthy. I have a nice condo in a fashionable part of the city. And a large portfolio of investments that allows me to live in the manner I have aspired to, if not the manner I am accustomed to.

"And did I mention my active social life? I have several suitors at the moment, none older than 35 . . . ."

Roni's voice was even, but full of underlying rage. "Well, you can kiss _that_ sweet life goodbye now, lady. You are not _welcome_ , here – either in this world OR in my bar. The Robinsons are going home, and if that means that you have to go with them to make it happen, then so be it!"

"Screw that," spat Dr. Smith. "As I said, you _Fairy Tale bitch_ , I'm here on official business to place these two, underage orphans in protective custody, and to see that their erstwhile guardian is placed under arrest." Responding to Roni's look of surprise, Dr. Smith added, "Oh, yes, I figured out that even as the Robinsons and I are from a _Science Fiction_ story; that you, Lucy and Gothel are from a _Fairy Tale_ story."

At Dr. Smith's revelation, Will Robinson's eyes met Lucy's with a sense of awe. Lucy Vidrio really is the daughter of Cinderella! The Fairy Tale girl smiled reassuringly at Will, and the Boy from the Future smiled back, suddenly feeling something that he hadn't felt in a very long time: Hope.

Dr. Smith continued. "As a 'Science Fiction' character, I must be, shall we say, "culturally predisposed," to assume that what Gothel was doing to us was some kind of "advanced alien technology." But all of what she has said to me thus far would tend to support a different . . . hypothesis.

"Somehow, our 'genres' got crossed, and Gothel brought us here via "magic." As a "Science Fiction character," a big part of me wants to reject the very idea. But an even bigger part is counselling me to accept it as reality. And now that I have, I know what I need to do to keep my place in the story we all find ourselves in.

"The Robinson's strength – their source of "magic" in this Realm – is their love for each other. I intend to separate them to weaken their ability to resist.

"It may interest you to know that I alerted the police where I was going, and that they would find you three, here. I expect them to be here any moment, now. And when they do come, I suggest that you all cooperate and come along quietly."

With newfound confidence, Will said, "The Robot may have something to say about that, Dr. Smith!"

The pattern on the Robot turned to face June Harris, and again it said, "Danger Will Robinson."

Dr. Smith offered the boy a patronizing smile. "Don't be so naïve, William - or so foolish . . . .

"Oh, I have no doubt that this _Bellicose Bumpkin_ of yours can overpower the local police; even if they bring in a fully-equipped SWAT Team; probably very quickly, too.

"But the resulting mayhem would alert _this_ Realm's authorities that _something_ , shall we say, _unusual_ was going on, here in Hyperion Heights.

"Even if nobody was killed or injured in the melee that is sure to result from such a confrontation, and collateral damage to property was kept at the bare minimum, it would still beg many, many questions that Roni and Lucy and the others here in Hyperion Heights would be _unable_ to answer.

"Whatever else you may be, you are still _aliens_ from a parallel dimension, and might just be considered a threat to life on this world. Your "magic" may have 'implanted' detailed paper-trails for you Fairy Tales, but I wonder what a DNA test might show?" Dr. Smith smiled thoughtfully. "For that matter, I wonder if FBI Agents Scully and Mulder exist as real people in this Realm . . . ?"

Lucy couldn't hold herself in any longer. "You leave us alone! Will and his sisters are my _friends_ , and they want to go _home_!"

Dr. Smith's smile was sickeningly-sweet. "So, it seems that Will has a little _girlfriend_ , does he?" She then turned her attention to Judy and Penny. "You two had better keep an eye on your little brother. You know what they say about _these people_ ," Smith nodded to Lucy and Roni. "Once you've gone "Fairy Tale," you _never_ go back . . . ."

Fiercely, Will said, "You leave Lucy out of this, Dr. Smith!"

"Oh, how courtly, gallant and chivalrous of you," said Dr. Smith dryly. Again, she turned to Judy and Penny, and added, "See what I mean, girls? _Those people_ are already starting to rub-off on him."

Roni bristled at Dr. Smith's ignorant remark, but said nothing.

The Doctor, who had been patiently silent up until now, spoke. "Well, Dr. Smith, I won't lie and say that it's been a pleasure, but I really must be taking you and these children back to your proper Realm of Storytelling now, so that your stories may properly continue.

"If it's any consolation, I am required to do so in a manner that will remove your memories of your time here in Hyperion Heights. As for your 'life of luxury' here; you can't exactly miss what you will not remember."

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you," said June Harris shaking her head. "And neither are the Robinson Brats. Apparently, where they go, I go. And I like it just where I am."

But before anyone else could reply, Mother Gothel teleported into the bar room, and said, "Nobody is going _anywhere_ ; least of all the Robinsons!"

June Harris kept her expression neutral as Gothel fixed her with a hard stare. June felt the comforting weight of the loaded water gun (that was _not_ loaded with water,) in her jacket pocket. Whatever else may happen, the man at the hardware store told her that the herbicide she bought was the most powerful stuff legally available . . . .


	10. Gothel's Claim

**Chapter 10. Gothel's Claim**

Mother Gothel regarded June Harris, (who seemed uncharacteristically calm,) with a baleful expression, and said, "I'll deal with you, later." She then turned to face The Doctor, and said, "It's been a long time, Doctor. You look . . . different."

"I get that a lot," said The Doctor matter-of-factly. He then shook his head, and sighed. "Right. Well, onto business, then . . . .

"Mother Gothel, I understand that the Robinson Siblings have . . . offended you, in some way, and that you are currently, ah, holding them against their will . . . ?"

"They have trespassed on my garden!" said Gothel firmly. "And I WILL have my satisfaction!

"Or do you intend to take them from me by force?"

The Doctor held up his hands in a conciliatory manner, smiling sincerely. "Hopefully, we shall be able to accomplish _both_ tasks without any further . . . misunderstandings.

"Mother Gothel, you should know that I have come to this world, alone, to plead the Robinson Siblings' case.

"As a "character" with ancestry in _both_ relevant Realms of Storytelling, I hope to present myself to you as a _Diplomat_ who may be able to help negotiate a settlement that will be amenable to everyone involved."

"Impossible," said Gothel flatly. "The Robinson Siblings must pay for what they have done!"

The Doctor sighed, and gave Judy, Penny and Will a sideways glance. "Now, did any of you kids happen to help yourselves to any _Rapunzel_ while you were in Mother Gothel's garden . . . ?"

But before the Robinsons could reply, Gothel pointed to the Robot, and said, "That accused metal golem _destroyed_ one of my enchanted guardian garden gnomes!"

"The Robot just did it to protect us!" exclaimed Will. "He didn't know any better! And WE didn't take anything; not even some bio-samples for study!"

"We'd have left if you just told us to," said Judy. "It wasn't our intent to trespass anywhere!"

"There were no warning signs or charged perimeter fences, anywhere!" added Penny.

"Irrelevant," said Gothel dismissively.

"Actually, they do have a very good point, Mother Gothel," said The Doctor thoughtfully. "Haven't I told you before that if you don't want 'trespassers,' then you should put up some kind of signs or fencing?

"If one didn't know any better, one _might_ assume that you _actually want_ people to violate your garden so you would feel _justified_ doing with them as you please." Mother Gothel looked sharply at The Doctor, but said nothing. The Doctor continued. "But, then again, there is still the small matter of your garden gnome . . . .

"Surely there is something that may be worked out to resolve this situation? If nothing else; we want to avoid making this Inter-Genre Incident _worse_ than it already currently is."

Roni said, "Whatever 'claim' you may have against the rest of us, Gothel, the Robinson Siblings are NOT part of it. _Please_ let them leave in peace and return to their family and home! If nothing else, it will be one less thing for you to worry about when _we_ have our inevitable . . . confrontation."

Mother Gothel seemed to be considering what the former Evil Queen had to say, but June Harris wasn't about to take any chances. "Ms. Gardner – Mother Gothel – however you want to be addressed, there are other things to consider, here.

"You did make a promise to me that so long as the Robinson Siblings remain here, so shall I. But if they are allowed to leave –"

"Then you would leave with them," said Gothel. "Even as I said you would. I would have no further use for you, after they are gone."

"B-but I don't want to leave, Mother Gothel. I like it, here!"

"Your presence here was to ensure that the Robinson Siblings did _not_ learn about their true lives, Ms. Harris. As they _have_ learned, your further presence in this Realm serves me no further purpose."

"But that wasn't _my_ fault!" said June desperately. "I did _everything_ you asked of me, and was prepared to do even _more_!"

"Like frame me for theft," said Judy dryly. "And putting my brother and sister in separate foster homes?"

Dr. Smith ignored Judy. "I followed our agreement to the letter, Gothel!" She then rounded to The Doctor. "Mother Gothel says she has a 'claim' against the Robinson kids? Well, I have a claim, too!

"I was promised a good life for services rendered. I rendered them. And now, Gothel wants to break our deal because she doesn't need me, anymore? I don't recall anything like that being part of our original agreement!"

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully, and said, "She also has a point, Mother Gothel. How do you intend to address that?"

"That is a moot point," said Gothel. "So long as the Robinson Siblings remain in this world, in this Realm, than Ms. Harris / Dr. Smith shall also remain, whether I want her to, or not."

Before anyone could reply, the door to Roni's Bar opened, and Detective Weaver came in with Detective Rogers. The Robot turned to regard them, its face blue with swirling white dots.

"Bloody hell," said Rogers. "Look, Weaver; it's Robocop!"

But Detective Weaver's attention was elsewhere. Ignoring the Robot, he regarded the tall man with the long scarf, and the large, blue box, betraying only a hint of concern.

The Doctor spoke. "Hello, Rumple. Been a while, hasn't it?"

Though Detective Weaver wore a Poker-Face, he was obviously struggling to maintain it. "I – we, don't want any trouble here, Doctor."

"I'm not here to cause any 'trouble,' Rumple, I can assure you of that," said The Doctor evenly. "Indeed, I'm here trying to prevent the current 'trouble' from getting any worse. Something that I think you'll agree is in everyone's best interest."

Gothel said, "I presume that the two of you are here at Ms. Harris' beckoned call to take these children into custody, detectives?"

"Excellent idea!" said Dr. Smith. She then turned to Gothel, and said, "Trust me, prison for Judy and 'The System' for Penny and Will shall punish them far worse on your behalf than I ever could do as a mere Social Worker!

"Besides, your 'curse' made me independently wealthy! I shall look forward to early retirement!"

"It's settled, then," said Gothel. "Detective Weaver, you and Rogers may take these three into custody, now!" June Harris / Dr. Smith could barely contain her joy and relief. Gothel noticed this, and added, "Much as it pains me that I must needs suffer the presence of Ms. Harris as part of the bargain . . . ."

"NO!" said Lucy. She turned to The Doctor and said, "Please don't let this happen to Will and his sisters, Doctor Whoever-You-Are! They belong in _your_ Realm of Stories!"

"Just "Who." said The Doctor with gentle absentmindedness. "Doctor Who" is sufficient, if you must call me something other than "The Doctor" . . . .

"I'm sorry, Lucy. But this is a Fairy Tale matter. And if Mother Gothel does not want to negotiate, then my hands are tied. Unless . . . .

"Mother Gothel, I believe that Fairy Tales still accept the notion of Trial by Combat to resolve disputes, do they not?"

Mother Gothel eyed The Doctor suspiciously. He had not asked his question as if to imply that Fairy Tales were somehow "backwards" compared to Science Fiction. He had too much respect for other genres and Realms of Storytelling for that. In the end, curiosity got the better of Gothel, who simply raised an eyebrow to The Doctor, indicating that he should go on.

"Yes. Well. It occurs to me that you want to see the Robinson Siblings suffer for their 'trespass.' But to do this – to keep them as your prisoners here in this Realm – you must _also_ suffer the presence of Ms. Harris, AKA Dr. Smith, is this not so?"

"That is how I wove the spell, Doctor," Gothel said slowly. "What do you have in mind? You mentioned a Trial by Combat. Do you intend to challenge me to battle for the Robinson Siblings' freedom?"

The Doctor shook his head solemnly. "That would be quite the kerfuffle, were you and I to do combat. But with you casting spells, and me wielding my sonic screwdriver, that would tend to attract too much unwanted _native_ attention . . . ."

"Besides, Gothel," added Detective Weaver, "he's a lot more powerful than he appears to be. Trust me, you'd be in over your head, Dearie." _As I was with that smarmy chap who called himself "Q," a short time ago,_ thought Weaver, _before the good Doctor came to_ my _rescue . . ._ _._

"I figured as much," said Gothel nodding. "Champions, perhaps?"

The Doctor said, "Do you have anyone particular in mind?"

But before The Doctor could answer, Roni stepped forward. "Me. I'll fight for the Robinson's freedom. I win; then Will and his sisters - _and_ Dr. Smith - get to go home!"

Gothel regarded Roni with mild amusement, and said, "It is not yet time for us to fight, Evil Queen. Besides without your magic, you'd be powerless against me!"

Roni was about to sass back, but The Doctor said, "Then may I suggest that you chose a _Champion_ more evenly matched with Roni to represent your interests. May I recommend Ms. Harris . . . ?"

"W-what . . . ?" said Ms. Harris incredulously, rounding to The Doctor.

Smiling, Gothel said, "Intriguing idea, Doctor . . . ."

Detective Weaver said, "You trust _her_ to represent your 'interests,' then?"

"Quite the contrary," said Gothel. "I trust her to represent _her_ interests, and her interests alone. And it is in her interest that she wins the battle against Roni to keep the Robinsons here in this Realm, and herself with them."

"A-and if I refuse?" said Ms. Harris.

"Then my claim shall be forfeit by _default_ ," said Gothel with a faint smile. "And you _all_ leave. Unless you defeat Roni in single combat, and _earn_ the right to remain in this Realm and the life that you have become accustomed to."

Roni gave Ms. Harris a hard look. "Will this be a fight to the death?" Roni grinned viciously as Dr. Smith turned pale and swallowed hard.

"No," said Gothel. "In this situation, I prefer the battle to end when either of you yields." She then turned to Roni, and added, "After all, we still have our own dispute to settle, do we not, Evil Queen . . . ?"

Roni didn't reply to Gothel. Instead, she looked at Dr. Smith, keeping her expression severely businesslike as she removed her denim jacket, tossing it on the closest table.

Looking noticeably relieved, Dr. Smith removed her own jacket and carefully draped it over a nearby chair. "Wouldn't want to get bloodstains on my Prada jacket," said Dr. Smith. _Or, damage my fallback against Gothel_ , she added to herself.

Lucy said, "Wait! I want a rule! No weapons, of any kind!"

"Seems reasonable," said The Doctor. "After all, Roni has no magic."

Still keeping her attention on Dr. Smith, Roni said, "You heard The Doctor, "doctor." If you're packing a phaser or a lightsaber, then you'd better lose it, quick!"

"We don't have those things in my world," said Dr. Smith. "Can't even print-out a decent automatic pistol without jumping through hoops . . . .

"But I won't need anything like that to deal with you, you Fairy Tale skank! I will crush, kill and destroy you!"

"You and how many First Order Stormtroopers, Captain Phasma?" sassed Roni.

Dr. Smith sneered at her Fairy Tale opponent. "Have you ever actually fought someone from a Science Fiction Realm, before?"

"Actually, I have," admitted Roni. "Have you ever heard of Rita the Resplendent?"

"Uh, no . . . ?"

"Well, after I F'd her up real good," said Roni. "Everyone started calling her Rita _Repulsa_!"

Gothel snorted. "As entertaining as this pre-battle banter may be, I grow impatient for my satisfaction.

"Let the battle . . . BEGIN!"


	11. Throw-Down at Roni's!

**Chapter 11. Throw-Down at Roni's!**

At Gothel's command; both women took a fighting stance. Then Roni – who never took her eyes off of Dr. Smith – said, "Hey, wait a moment!"

"Giving up so soon?" said June Harris anxiously, unable to conceal the relief in her voice.

"You wish . . . ," sassed Roni, who then continued, "Lucy, I want you to take Will back into the kitchen and close the door. One of us will come for you when the fight is over. I don't want Will to see anything that he . . . shouldn't . . . ."

"I – I won't leave you, Roni!" said Lucy.

"And I'm not afraid of a little blood," added Will, who looked directly at Dr. Smith.

"That's not what I'm concerned about," said Roni with a wan smile. "You see, I wasn't planning to take off my jacket, today, much less get into a fight with this Asajj Ventress wannabee, here.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have worn a tank-top without a bra . . . ."

Without further comment, Lucy took Will's hand, and quickly led the boy back to the kitchen. The Robot dutifully followed the two eleven-year-olds.

Roni then glanced quickly in the direction of The Doctor and the two Hyperion Heights Detectives, and added, "And that probably should go for the three of you _Gentlemen_ , too . . . .

"In fact, maybe _everyone_ should wait in the kitchen where you'll _all_ be out of our way. I don't want anyone – especially Judy and Penny – to get hurt by accident. And I have a feeling that Smith and I are going to need all the room we can get!"

"I'm staying," said Gothel flatly. "I want to be certain that the rules we agreed upon are followed."

"I can respect Roni's wishes," said The Doctor, with both detectives nodding in agreement. "But Mother Gothel makes a good point about ensuring that this is a fair fight – or, at least that none of the rules are violated.

"Maybe I can pop-over to where I left Romana, bring her up to speed, and have _her_ watch as the Science Fiction observer." _I definitely must put regenerating as a woman on my to-do list, someday . . . ,_ thought The Doctor.

"You're _stalling_ , Doctor," snarled Gothel.

Penny said, "Then I'll stay. Roni doesn't have anything that I haven't already got. Besides, I want to see Ms. Harris get what's coming to her, after all she put us through . . . ."

Judy said, "No, I'll do it. Besides, I'm a doctor. I may be needed _professionally_ when Roni's done wiping the floor with Ms. Harris." Judy jerked her head in the direction of the First Aid Kit mounted on the wall behind Roni's bar.

Detective Weaver raised an eyebrow. "You look pretty young to be a _doctor_ , Dearie. You set some kind of record, then?"

"Not even close," said Judy. "In our world, one of the doctors who trained me, Dr. Douglas Howser, got his degree when he was three years younger than me, about 60 years earlier; a record that still stands."

"Enough stalling!" said Gothel impatiently. "You will fight _now_ , or my offer is _withdrawn_!"

Without any further comment, the three men and Penny Robinson joined Lucy, Will and The Robot in the kitchen, leaving only Roni, June, Gothel and Judy Robinson in the barroom.

Somewhat absentmindedly, June Harris lamented at the thought of what the brawl would do to her designer outfit. Ruin it, probably. Oh, well, it's not like she couldn't afford a new one; much less didn't already have any other expensive, designer outfits in the closet of her luxury condo.

And she fully intended to return to her luxury condo; confident that- without weapons or magic - anything that this Fairy Tale slut could do to her would eventually heal. And if worst came to worst, plastic surgery was always an option for an independent lady of means, such as herself; a position that she intended to maintain by _any_ means necessary . . . .

June regarded her opponent in her off-the-rack, discount store-brand denim jeans and tank-top, and shook her head. In truth, this ensemble was probably better suited for an impromptu fight than what she was currently wearing, herself, (and would undoubtedly be cheaper to replace.) But on the plus side, it provided good fodder for a quick, pre-fight put-down.

With a genteel snort, Dr. Smith dryly quipped, "Nice tank-top, Roni. Doesn't leave much to the imagination, does it, Roni? And here I half-expected you to have a belly-ring and a tramp-stamp to go with it."

Roni sassed back: "The only _tramp_ getting stamped around here is _you_!"

Judy snickered in spite of herself. But Gothel growled, "Fight!"

And then it began . . . .

In the kitchen, nobody spoke. Will checked his phone for the time as Lucy gave him a comforting look. But before Will could reply to his friend's gesture, a loud "bang" coming from the other side of the closed kitchen door startled everyone.

Lucy gasped and moved closer to Will. She took his hand, and in exchange for her squeeze of comfort, the boy gave her hand a gentle, return-squeeze of pure gratitude.

Will said, "That was probably Dr. Smith getting thrown against the wall! Roni looks pretty tough!"

Penny came behind her brother and his friend, putting her hands on their shoulders. "Roni may be tough. But Ms. Harris is a total psycho! She won't fight fair!"

Detective Weaver said, "Don't worry, Dearie. I have a feeling that Mother Gothel will enforce a fair fight, and your sister is watching, too." Another loud, crashing noise made everyone jump. Then Weaver continued. "However psychotic this June Harris may be, she won't get much of an opportunity to cheat."

"Aye," said Detective Rogers. "And that will give the advantage to Roni!" The Doctor nodded in agreement, but said nothing.

Though everyone tried to reassure Lucy, Will and Penny that everything would be alright, another loud, slamming noise from the other side of the wall made everyone tense anew. Penny gasped in horror. Lucy glanced sideways towards Will, who looked like he was on the verge of crying. But Lucy knew exactly what she needed to say.

"There is one more thing you all need to remember," said Lucy, chiefly to Will, but to everyone else in the kitchen, as well. "You may be from a _Science Fiction_ Realm. But we're in a _Fairy Tale_!

"Roni needs more than just our support. She needs our _hope_ , as well! We need to hold on to the belief that a Happy Ending IS possible! That the woman fighting for our lives and our happiness will triumph against the one who is fighting to take them away from us for her own benefit!

"I don't know how it works in the Science Fiction Realms. But in Fairy Tale Realms; _hope_ is the most powerful, non-magical force there is."

Now Penny was almost in tears, herself. "But Roni's fighting a psychopath! She could get killed and we could be stuck here, forever! We need to do something!"

Lucy never let go of Will's hand, but turned to face both him and his sister. "This is NOT the time for "Science Fiction Damage-Control Mode!" To help Roni, we need to hold on to the hope that she will prevail against Dr. Smith! ANY thought of Roni being defeated is NOT an option!"

Now, The Doctor spoke. "Penny, Will, we are not on a starship with failing navigational deflectors that's heading into an asteroid field. In a situation like _that_ , hope _alone_ is useless. You need to take action to get the deflectors back online to avoid a collision.

"But this isn't a starship in an asteroid field. Hyperion Heights is a _Fairy Tale_ Realm. For Roni to triumph against her opponent, you need to bolster her with your hope and truly believe that she will be the victor!"

"Is that what Fairy Tales teach?" said Penny. "That hope conquers all? Even against monsters like Dr. Smith?"

The Doctor smiled warmly. "I'm reminded of a quote from an Earthman named G. K. Chesterton, who famously said that, "Fairy Tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy Tales tell children that dragons can be killed."

Again, a loud noise came from the direction of the barroom. This time, nobody jumped. Penny said, "So, if we hope and believe that Roni can beat Ms. Harris; then she will do it . . . ?"

Lucy smiled, and said, "It's more basic than that, Penny. "No matter what happens, no matter how dark things look at the moment; _never let go of hope_! Even the _belief_ in the _possibility_ of a happy ending is a _very_ powerful thing!"

Will smiled the way only an eleven-year-old boy can, and said, "I believe that Roni will win, and not only will she be alright; we'll get to go home!"

Penny was about to say something similar, but was overwhelmed by the sudden silence from the other side of the door. A fraction of a second later, everyone else in the kitchen sensed it, too. Nobody spoke. The only sounds were coming from the refrigerator compressor in the kitchen.

After what seemed like ages, Penny once again tried to voice her sentiment, but stopped short when a sound came from the other side of the door. Someone knocked on the door softly, three times, and then said, "Penny? Will?" And then, whoever was knocking repeated this routine two more times when nobody immediately answered the door.

Somewhat absentmindedly, Penny realized that she had heard this kind of knock, before. A few years ago, before her family left Earth for Alpha Centauri, Penny had some done volunteer work in the dining room of a local retirement community. For some reason, upon learning her name was "Penny," some of the elderly retirees thought it was amusing to get her attention by knocking three times on their tables, and calling her by name – always repeating this ritual three times.

Now, thanks to Gothel's curse and her time in Hyperion Heights in the past, she finally knew that the gag came from an old TV show that was popular when they were her age . . . .

Then, she recognized the voice on the other side of the door. Squealing with glee, Penny said, "It's Judy! Judy! Judy!"

The door opened, and Judy came in, holding the First Aid Kit, and said, "It's over. Roni won. We're all going home. Everyone please come back to the barroom with me . . . ."

Lucy squeezed Will's hand, and they both smiled. Penny gave her brother and his friend a big hug.

But then Judy added somberly, "They beat themselves up pretty badly. I may need some help.

"Oh, and Penny? In the future, I won't imitate Jim Parsons, anymore, if you promise not to imitate Carey Grant - or worse; Jim Neighbors, _imitating_ Carey Grant – even if Carey Grant never really said it."

"Who're they?" said Penny as they filed down the short corridor from the kitchen to the barroom.

"Proof that you need to watch more classic TV, or you'll miss a lot of cultural references," said Judy dryly. "Wouldn't want anyone to think you're uncultured, do you?" The two sisters exchanged smiles.

When everyone got to the barroom, they saw Roni and June Harris sitting at separate tables away from each other; obviously battered, but very much alive. Both women looked disheveled, and though their clothes were stained, they were not torn – despite after what was undoubtedly a vicious fight.

Gothel, who was standing in the middle of the room between the two women, watched as everyone else came back into the barroom; her expression was unreadable. But the same was not true of the two women who had just fought.

June Harris was holding a bloody dishrag to her face. Her left eye was blackened and swollen. Her nose was bloodied, possibly broken.

Roni, who was being attended by Judy, had various cuts and bruises, but appeared to be in good spirits, though she seemed to have trouble breathing. Roni smiled when she saw Lucy, Will and Penny come to her side. "Hey, you three," said Roni with a slight wince. "I thought . . . that would . . . never end. But it looks like . . . you're going . . . home!"

At Roni's comment, Will checked his phone and blinked. Though it seemed like it had gone on for a very long time; the entire fight had lasted less than two minutes!

Penny said, "Thank you, Roni! I could just hug you!"

Still smiling, Roni held up a hand, and said, "You're welcome. But I'll . . . have to take a . . . rain-check on that . . . hug, Penny. Your sister thinks . . . I have a . . . cracked rib . . . possibly two . . . ."

Lucy said, "Will Roni be alright, Judy?"

"She'll need proper medical treatment at a clinic or hospital," said Judy. "For now, we need to get some ice on it to help reduce the swelling." Judy turned to Will and Lucy. "See if you can find some ice in the kitchen, and some plastic bags to make an icepack."

"W-what about me?" said June from the other table. "I'm injured, too!"

"I'll be there as soon as I get Roni taken care of," said Judy. "Your injuries are less severe than Roni's, Ms. Harris."

"B-but, I'm in severe _pain_ , Judy – Dr. Robinson!" whined June. "Oh, the pain! _The pain . . ._!" She looked up at Judy as best as she could through her swollen eye, and added with raw accusation, "You're just being vindictive! Vindictive, sadistic, and passive-aggressive to me because of what Gothel _made_ me do to you and your siblings to keep my good life in this world!"

"I examined you both, before bringing in the others," said Judy evenly, not looking up as she carefully examined Roni's cracked ribcage. "I determined that Roni's injuries were more severe than yours are.

"That is not in any way "vindictive," sadistic," or "passive-aggressive," Ms. Harris; that's standard triage protocol. You'd know that if you were a _real_ doctor . . . ."

When Will and Lucy came back with the icepacks, Judy carefully placed them against Roni's side. Judy said, "There, Roni. Does that feel any better? Does it hurt as bad as before?"

Roni forced a smile and a sigh, and said, "Only when . . . I try to breathe." The former Evil Queen rolled her eyes. "Funny. It didn't hurt . . . half as bad . . . a few moments ago . . . when I had her . . . in a Half-Nelson . . . to force her . . . to yield.

"Let's . . . just say . . . that June Harris . . . is not . . . exactly . . . Ronda Rousey. But . . . between you and me . . . I don't know . . . how much longer . . . I could have lasted . . . ."

"We _believed_ in you, Roni!" said Will. "We _hoped_ that you would win, and held onto that hope! And you _did_ win!"

Despite her pain, Roni's smile grew broader. "That tends to . . . be the way . . . things work . . . around here!"

The Doctor turned to the stony-faced Gothel, and said, "Are you satisfied with the outcome, Mother Gothel?" Somewhat grudgingly, Gothel nodded. The Doctor then turned to the Robinson Siblings, and said, "Right. Then we'd all better be on our way. And that includes you too, Dr. Smith.

"And Mother Gothel? In the future, please at least _consider_ posting "No Trespassing" signs and putting up some manner of fencing around your garden. It might save everyone a lot of needless trouble down the line . . . ."

"P-please," said June Harris. "I'm injured _badly_! I _can't_ go back to my Native Realm, _now_. I really should be going to the _hospital_ , like Roni! I should be allowed to stay until I've recovered. It's only humane!"

"You must leave with the Robinson Siblings," Gothel said firmly. "You are no longer needed, nor welcome, here!"

"But . . . I'm _injured_!"

"Not to worry," said The Doctor jovially. "I can patch you up good as new in the TARDIS' Medical Bay, just before your memory edit. Trust me; you'll neither feel nor remember a thing!"

Judy gave Roni another quick once-over, and said, "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to treat Roni, too? I'm guessing the med tech on your ship is much better than anything on early 21st Century Earth."

"I forbid it!" snarled Gothel. "I won't take any chances that you might also perform any, shall we say, 'enhancements' on the Evil Queen that might assist her when she and I eventually do battle.

You Science Fiction people have been known to do things like that . . . ."

The Doctor turned to Judy, and sighed. "I'm afraid not, Dr. Robinson. It seems that this would have the potential to cause another Inter-Genre Incident."

"The . . . Hyperion Heights . . . Hospital . . . is good enough," said Roni through gritted teeth. "Don't worry about me. I have . . . good health insurance . . . ."

Detective Weaver nodded, and said, "Rogers and I will take Roni and Lucy to the hospital. Once we get Roni settled in, we'll call Henry to give Lucy a ride back to her home."

"And speaking of a ride back home," said The Doctor. "I think we'd all best be on our way, now. The sooner we get this over with, the better it will be for everyone involved."

Sighing with resignation, June Harris stood with an exaggerated effort that made everyone's eyes roll. Even The Robot's swirling face-pattern seemed to be making an eye roll.

"Alright, alright," said June evenly. "I'm coming. Just let me get my jacket. Prada, you know . . . ."

June picked up her jacket, draping it over her left arm. Whatever else happened, she fully intended to remain in this world. And she still had one more card up her sleeve (or, more accurately, in her jacket pocket,) to play . . . .


	12. Solutions

**Chapter 12. Solutions**

"You needn't bother with bringing your jacket, Dr. Smith," said The Doctor. "You'll all be going back home in what you were wearing when you first left. A vintage, Prada jacket might be a bit hard to explain . . . ."

Penny sighed wistfully. "I guess this means that I can't keep my classic, Taylor Swift tee-shirt, either."

"Or my old-school iPhone 6," said Will. In truth, a fifty year old 'antique' iPhone wasn't worth all that much among collectors unless it was complete and mint-in-box; plenty of old iPhones were still in use. But truth be told, Will was more interested in keeping the selfies he took with Lucy the day before . . . .

June Harris shrugged as she tossed the bloody dishrag onto the nearest table. She draped her jacket over both of her hands as she slowly approached The Doctor, the Robinson Siblings and The Robot.

Then, just as she passed Gothel, June threw her precious Prada jacket to the ground, exposing a cheap, plastic water pistol, and squirted several blasts into Gothel's face and chest.

Mother Gothel screamed in agony.

Everyone gasped. The Robot said, "Danger, Will Robinson."

Both Detectives Weaver and Rogers drew their sidearms on June Harris. But The Doctor held up his hands, and said, "NO, DON'T FIRE!" Realizing that The Doctor was afraid of creating yet another Inter-Genre Incident, (or rather, making this one any worse,) neither of the Fairy Tale men fired.

True, Mother Gothel had cursed every Fairy Tale in Hyperion Heights. But whatever else Gothel may have done to them, and whatever else she may be; she was also a Fairy Tale. And both Fairy Tale men kept their eyes – and aim – on the Science Fiction woman who had just harmed one of their own.

The Doctor sniffed the air, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Weed killer . . . ." It was a statement; not a question. He then turned to Dr. Smith with a very real question. "How did you know?"

June Harris replied with a question of her own, "That Gothel is a sentient, _plant-based_ life form?"

"The . . . preferred . . . _Fairy Tale_ . . . term," gasped Roni through gritted teeth, "is . . . "Tree Nymph," . . . Doctor Maru!"

Dr. Smith ignored Roni; smiling with satisfaction as Gothel actually seemed to be shriveling up. "If only I had gotten that report from "Ancestry Pie-Chart Dot Com" a few days earlier. This would have been so much easier . . . .

"And to think that all this time, I was being punked-out by an overgrown walking, talking, _carrot_!" Dr. Smith regarded the withering Gothel on the floor and smiled. "Thus ends the Great Vegetable Rebellion . . . !"

Detective Weaver's tone was all business and authority. "Alright, drop the squirt-gun, Dearie!"

Dr. Smith laughed. "Or you'll what? Shoot me? Even after Dr. Who _ever_ -He-Is explicitly told you _not_ to?

"No, I have a much better idea. I'm going back home to my luxury condo and you're just going to let me leave if you all know what's in your own best interests!"

The Doctor said, "If you stay, the Robinsons _can't_ leave. That's how Mother Gothel crafted her curse."

"Well," said Dr. Smith. "Maybe the curse will break when this Fairy Tale rhymes-with-witch bites the dust - or turns _into_ dust, as the case may be . . . ."

"Possibly," allowed The Doctor. "But do you _really_ want to stay here, in a _Fairy Tale Realm_ , after harming so many people? I wouldn't be able to guarantee your _safety_ , if you do."

"Actually, I plan to move far, far away from here," countered Dr. Smith. "I can afford it, you know . . . ."

Judy went over to Gothel to see what she could do. But June Harris just laughed. "Unless your medical training included _horticulture_ ; you're wasting your time, Dr. Robinson!"

Detective Weaver said, "Drop the water pistol, Ms. Harris! You're under arrest!"

"For what?" snorted June, "First Degree _Herb_ icide . . . ?

"You Fairy Tale idiots still don't get it, do you? "I'm _staying_ in this realm, keeping my sweet life, and you can't make me leave! Only Gothel can do that, and she won't be with us, much longer . . . .

"Now, I suppose you _could_ place me under arrest, Detective Weaver. But then I'd have to stay in this world to be charged and tried . . . by the _native_ authorities!

"That should be interesting. I wonder what a _native_ Medical Examiner would say about the 'murder victim's' "cause of death" in their report? For that matter, what will they make of Gothel's 'remains?'

"I'm sure that any such report would raise more questions than answers." June smiled. "And I'll be all too happy to provide them to the proper _native_ authorities in exchange for certain . . . _considerations_."

"You _can't_ do that!" said Penny. "The Fairy Tales in this world will be helpless against this world's natives if you "out" them!"

"Then I suggest that you don't try to stop me from walking out the door, and their secret will be safe!"

Judy turned to The Doctor, and said, "Gothel's dying! You said there's a Medical Bay on your spaceship. There must be something you can do to save her!"

"Possibly," said The Doctor again. He then took note of Mother Gothel's pallor, which now resembled a drying, crumbling plant. "It's _moving_ her to the TARDIS' Medical Bay that's going to be the rub. It looks like the slightest touch will cause her to crumble to dust."

Gothel tried to say something, but Judy advised her to be quiet when cracks began propagating from her mouth as she attempted to speak.

Then Will turned to The Robot, and said, "You've got to help us, Robot! You've got to help Ms. Gothel! She was mean to us, but she's _suffering_!" Without hesitation, The Robot began walking over to Judy and Gothel. Judy stepped aside, The Robot held its hands over the dying Tree Nymph, and the air between them began to waver. Within seconds, Gothel's pallor began taking on a livelier appearance.

Lucy said, "It's working! Will, your Robot's doing it!"

"Well, shiver me timbers . . . ," said Detective Rogers with a mixture of awe and relief. Everyone smiled as it appeared that Mother Gothel was getting better. Everyone, that is, except June Harris, whose expression was one of tightly controlled panic.

When it appeared that Mother Gothel was going to be alright, Detective Weaver smiled, nodded to Rogers, and holstered his sidearm. With a look of understanding, Rogers did likewise.

Without another word, June Harris attempted to bolt for the door as both Hyperion Heights Detectives charged towards her. The Science Fiction woman frantically tried to raise the water gun loaded with weed killer to blast its contents into the two men's faces and eyes. She knew it wouldn't kill them. But it would temporarily blind them, giving her a chance to escape.

But both men had noted her position and likely course of direction. The moment she started to move, the two detectives held their right arms protectively over their eyes, and charged! June Harris had barely taken three strides to the door before both men had her pinned against the wall. A second later, Penny Robinson ran over and pried June's water gun from her grip by bending back the woman's fingers _hard_ , forcing her to let go of it. June yelped in pain, but before the sound could die down, Rogers had her cuffed.

Then Penny said, "Look, Gothel's better!"

In the time it had taken the two men and Penny to subdue June Harris, AKA Dr. Smith, The Robot had finished healing Mother Gothel, who was being helped to her feet by Judy in full doctor mode.

Softly, Gothel said, "Y-your Metal Golem saved me . . . ."

"The preferred _Science Fiction_ term," said Judy smiling, "is, "Robot," Mother Gothel."

But The Robot was not finished. As soon as it was apparent that Mother Gothel was safe, The Robot went over to where Roni was sitting. Again, it raised its hands, and moved them over Roni's injured ribcage. When it stopped, Roni took a tentative breath, and then followed it up with several, deeper ones, before saying, "That . . . feels much better." She then smiled at The Robot, and added, "What can I say? "Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!"

Then Gothel's expression quickly changed from one of puzzled gratitude, to one of unambiguous outrage. Turning to The Doctor, Gothel snapped, "Did I not _forbid_ you to do _anything_ to help heal the Evil Queen's injuries, Doctor?

"How dare _any_ of you _Science Fiction_ people interfere in an internal, _Fairy Tale_ matter?!"

With newfound strength fueled by righteous anger, Mother Gothel turned towards the battered and handcuffed June Harris, who tried to move behind Detective Weaver. "I should turn you into a giant _stalk of celery_ for what you did to me! Then, leave you outside to be devoured by rabbits!"

NO!" screamed Judy. "If Dr. Smith is eaten by rabbits; we'll _never_ be able to get back home!"

"You _promised_ we could leave if Roni won!" added Penny.

Ignoring the Robinson sisters, Gothel rounded to The Doctor, and exclaimed, "THEN YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE INTERFERED!"

Firmly, Will Robinson said, "It _wasn't_ The Doctor's fault, Ma'am! It was _mine_!" Mother Gothel shifted her attention from The Doctor to the young Science Fiction boy. Though scared, Will continued, "I asked The Robot to help _you_ , but I also wanted _Roni_ to be better, as well. The Robot must have sensed it, and healed Roni, too! I didn't tell him to; but I'm _not_ sorry that he did!

"And that's _all_ The Robot did, Ma'am! Do you feel any _different_ than before?"

"No, boy," allowed Gothel. "I do not."

"And neither do I," said Roni. She stood from her chair, carefully stretched to see if everything really was better, and then she effortlessly put her denim jacket back on over her tank top. "Don't worry, Gothel. We're both _healed_ , and that's all. Neither one of us has been "genetically enhanced," turned into "bionic cyborgs," nor "Science-Fiction-ally _upgraded_ ," by The Robot in _any_ way.

"I don't know about you, but I feel about the same way I felt before throwing-down with this bargain-basement Evil-Lyn." Roni jerked her thumb in June Harris' direction. The handcuffed woman didn't even snort in reply. Roni continued, "So, if you feel the same way; I'd say that makes us even, Gothel.

"Now, keep your word, and let the Robinsons return to their own Realm of Storytelling!"

Snarling, Gothel replied, "Very well . . . .

"But know that we'll have Our Day, yet, Evil Queen – and that sooner than you think!" The Tree Nymph then teleported away from Roni's Bar in a burst of green smoke. Nobody spoke until the last wisp of smoke dissipated.

With a touch of exasperation, The Doctor said, "Right. _Now_ may we go . . . ?"

Roni nodded to Lucy and Will, and said, "I think we can give them a few more moments, Doctor."

June Harris sneered. "Why even bother? By the time Mr. Blue Box is finished with us, we won't remember a thing about our time in this world!

"I may not remember my sweet life of luxury. But poor, poor William is going to forget all about his little Fairy Tale _Princess_ . . . ."

Lucy was almost in tears at the thought that Will would forget about her. "I – I guess this really is "goodbye," Will. We'll never get to see each other, again!"

Will said, "The way I understand this, we won't remember you after we get back home to my mom and dad. But you'll remember me and my sisters. You'll have to remember for all of us!"

"Actually," said The Doctor smiling. "There just may be a way for Will and his sisters to remember everyone here! All we need to do is edit the exact circumstances!"

"I hope you're right, Doctor," said Lucy somewhat skeptically. "B-but will it work?"

Will smiled. "Lucy, you're the one who taught me how to hope! And I hope and believe that it will!"

"But how?" said Judy.

The Doctor smiled. "Just leave that part to me! Now, everyone aboard the TARDIS!

"And Roni? Rumpelstiltskin? It was good to see you both, again. I hope everything works out for you all, this time."

As the Robinson Siblings finished their goodbyes and prepared to go aboard the strange looking spacecraft for their ride back home, Lucy ran over to Will, and gave the Science Fiction boy a quick, friendly peck on the cheek. "Good luck, Will! I hope that you and your family will find your Happily Ever After!"

Impulsively, (and somewhat clumsily,) the boy returned his Fairy Tale friend's kiss. "Thanks for everything, Lucy!" Adding, with a smile," I hope that your dad remembers, and you get your Happy Ending, too!"

June Harris groaned, "Oh, spare me this preteen "Disney Channel" tripe, and let's just get this over with!"

After a few more, quick goodbyes, the Robinson Siblings, The Robot, and June Harris followed The Doctor into the Blue Box. A few seconds after the doors shut, the light on top of the box began to rise and fall to the sounds of **"** **EERrwWwoooooSHHHhEERrwWwoooooSHHHhEERrwWwoooooSHHHh,"** that faded out along with the box and its passengers.

Weaver was the first to speak. "I don't know about you, Roni, but I'll take magical teleportation over something dodgy like that, any day!"

"Different strokes . . . ," said Roni shrugging. "Still, while meeting people from other genres can be interesting; I do prefer magic over whatever it is that The Doctor and the Robinsons use.

"For that matter, I really wish I had had some magic to use in my fight with Dr. Smith; even if she got to use a Stormtrooper Blaster."

"Probably wouldn't have been much help, Roni," snorted Rogers. "I seriously doubt that Ms. Harris even possessed a heart for you to pull out, much less crush . . . ."

Again, Roni shrugged. "Point taken."

"I'm going to miss Will," said Lucy wistfully. "I hope that The Doctor is able to fix things so Will and his sisters still remember us."

Before anyone could reply, Henry Mills came in the door, and said, "W-what's going on, here?" He then noticed that the room looked like a small riot had just taken place. "Did I . . . miss anything?"

Lucy smiled, and said, "If you can give me a ride home, da – ah – _Henry_ , I can fill you in!"

"Woah," said Henry, holding up a hand. "I've had a pretty hectic day already, Lucy. I don't think that I can handle any of your _Fairy Tale_ stories for at least until tomorrow afternoon."

Lucy just smiled, and said, "Well, then how about some _Science Fiction_ , for a change . . . ?"


	13. Friendship Remembered

**Chapter 13. Friendship Remembered**

It was just past 11:00 pm when the doorbell rang. Before answering it, Henry Mills called to his daughter and her friends, Will, Penny and Judy Robinson, to let them know that the Robinsons had come to pick them up. Henry's wife Jacinda, and his mother, Roni, joined him, and they answered the door to admit John and Dr. Maureen Robinson.

John Robinson, a 'retired' Navy SEAL, took Henry Mills' hand in a firm grip, and said, "It's an honor to finally meet The Author of my kids' favorite book! And to be absolutely honest, "Once Upon A Time" is one of my personal favorites, too!"

"The honor is mine," said Henry with a modest smile. "I just _write_ stories about _fictional_ knights and heroes. I never thought that I would ever get to meet a _real one_ , one day!"

After a few more exchanged pleasantries, Maureen asked her kids if they had a good time with Lucy and her family. By this time tomorrow, the Robinsons would be headed to the launch site for final preparations before they took a shuttle to rendezvous with the Resolute.

From there, it would be Alpha Centauri, or bust . . . .

"They all had a wonderful time together, Maureen," said Roni. "They mostly just talked, ate snacks, played "Monopoly," and periodically watched the Billboard Music Awards Presentation with us.

"Can you believe how many awards Taylor Swift won this year!"

The five adults nodded at that. Ms. Swift's hit single, "I Think I Was The Problem," from her latest album of the same title, had held the Number One spot on the Top 40 Charts for several weeks now, and showed no signs of slipping anytime soon. And four more songs from the same album held the chart positions from number two to number five . . . .

Henry said, "Everyone thought that the quality of Tay-Tay's songs would go downhill, once she found True Love, and got married." Then, putting his arm around his wife, Henry added, "But as anyone familiar with True Love can tell you, it works just the opposite!"

"Those songs were _inspired_ ," Jacinda added. "But it was still mean of former President West to tweet that, ". . . Blue Ivy was the 'real winner.'"

"Oh, please," said Maureen. "Blue Ivy _is_ a pretty good singer; at least as good as her mom.

"But what has she released, lately, since she began dating Prince George a few years ago . . . ?"

The adults' conversation broke off when Lucy Mills came into the hallway, followed by Will, Penny and Judy Robinson. Maureen said, "Did you have a good time with Lucy, kids?" Answering all at once, the Robinson siblings said that they did!

Will said, "Lucy gave us each revised copies of her dad's book on our tablets as a Going Away present! And her dad gave each of us a copy of the title page, printed on parchment paper, that he autographed!" Will proudly showed his copy to his mother and father. "When we get to the Colony, I want to print out a frame, and hang it on the wall in my cabin!"

Henry said, "Will told us you each had a weight limit for personal belongings. Otherwise, I would have given them actual, autographed hard copies."

Lucy said, "And Will gave me some models he built of the Resolute, your Jupiter 2 landing craft, and a Chariot ATV! He's also letting me keep the Apollo 8 C/SM that he built for our class project!

"Don't worry; I'll take really good care of them!" Then, more somberly, Lucy added, "But I'm really going to miss you, Will."

"I-I'll miss you too, Lucy," said Will. Both Penny and Judy nodded in agreement. "I'll call you, if I can, just before we launch for the Resolute."

"You'd better!" said Lucy, who then gave her friend a quick, goodbye kiss on his cheek, making the boy smile and blush at the same time. Then, before he could lose his nerve, Will returned Lucy's kiss on her cheek, making Lucy giggle.

Simultaneously, both eleven-year-olds said, "I'm not washing my cheek for a week!" The adults laughed while Penny made a self-gagging gesture that made them laugh even more.

"I wish you could come with us," said Will softly. "All of you. Earth is bad, and getting worse . . . ."

Henry Mills put his arms around his wife and daughter, and said, "Don't worry about us. No matter how bad things get here on Earth, we believe that they can and will get better.

"It's like I wrote in my book; even the _belief_ in the possibility of a Happy Ending is a very powerful thing! Our world may have been sucker-punched by The Christmas Star, but we're not about to give up on hope! That, alone, would all but guarantee the end of our world."

"And who knows?" added Jacinda. "Maybe when we get things straightened out here on Earth; we can then visit you on Alpha Centauri." Lucy nodded vigorously in agreement.

Roni said, "Don't worry about us, Will. If things get worse before they get better, we all have a . . . let's just say that it is a "safe place," where we can go to ride out whatever may come."

"We're glad to hear that, Roni," said Maureen, who added, "And I have to say this, Roni; I hope I look as good as you when I have a grandchild Will's and Lucy's age!"

Roni thanked Maureen, but smiled cryptically. Then, after a few more pleasantries, the Robinsons left for the launch site. A short time later, Lucy went to bed, taking time to start reading through her dad's book from the beginning, before turning off the light . . . .

When Lucy opened her eyes the next morning, she immediately grabbed her phone and called Roni to tell her about the dream she had the night before.

Roni sighed with noticeable relief when Lucy finished, and said, "I knew The Doctor would come through for you and Will, Lucy."

"Do you think that he and his sisters will be alright, now?"

"I don't know," admitted the Former Evil Queen. "But I know how we might be able to find out."

"How, Roni?"

Lucy's grandmother said, "Just check to see what's coming out later this year on Netflix . . . ."

Lightyears from Earth, a boy and his two older sisters were exploring the strange world they landed on a few days before. Accompanying them was a mysterious Robot of alien construction.

The boy's oldest sister stopped the Chariot ATV, and said, "So, what's this "neat thing" you found that you wanted us to see, Will?"

"You'll see!" said Will Robinson.

The three siblings got out of the Chariot, and followed the boy to where he claimed he saw signs of intelligent life on the planet. But when they got there, Will looked around puzzled, and said, "This may sound weird, Judy. But I could have sworn that The Robot and me found a garden! An actual garden like there use to be on Earth!"

"Seriously . . . ?" said Penny Robinson, rolling her eyes.

"I-it was right here!" insisted Will. "It looked like it had a fountain, and statues, and everything! But The Robot wouldn't let me get too close. He just kept blocking my path, and saying, "Danger Will Robinson!" Will looked up at The Robot, and shrugged. "I was hoping that he might let me get in for a closer look if you two were here, with me." This time, The Robot did not seem to object when Will and his sisters approached the site of Will's purported "garden;" only to find nothing there except some alien flowers.

"A garden?" said Penny skeptically. "Just looks like a bunch of flowers, to me. No statues or fountains, though." Then, to be charitable, she added, "Are you sure this is the _same_ place you saw, earlier, Will?"

"I'm positive!"

"Maybe you just _thought_ you saw the other stuff," said Judy pensively. "I mean, The Robot wouldn't let you get in any closer the last time you were here. Sometimes, the light can play tricks on a person."

"I guess . . . ," allowed Will with a shrug. "But it would have been neat to discover evidence of intelligent, extraterrestrial life, like a real garden!"

As the three siblings walked back to their ATV, Will was smiling, despite the recent disappointment, lost in thought.

Penny said, "Let me guess? You're thinking about your Girlfriend Lucy, again!

"Will and Lucy sitting in a tree . . . !"

For a moment, Penny thought that Will was going to do "The Knock." Instead, Will said reasonably, "I don't tease you about Vijay, Penny. Why are you teasing me about Lucy?"

Penny sighed, wondering if she would ever see Vijay, again, and said, "You're right, Will. I'm sorry. I guess it's kind of hard for me to accept that our kid brother is growing up . . . ."

Judy said, "In any case, it'll be getting dark, soon, and we need to get back to the Jupiter!"

"We'd get back _quicker_ if I was driving," said Penny.

"We'll get back in _one piece_ with me driving," countered Judy. Again, Penny rolled her eyes.

As she did this, two pairs of eyes watched them leave for their ship.

The first pair belonged to June Harris, AKA Dr. Smith, who hid behind a large rock as she watched the Robinson Siblings drive away. Earlier, Will had said something about finding evidence of intelligent life, but it turned out to be a false alarm. With nothing more to do, the fake Dr. Smith began the long walk back to the Jupiter 2, herself, grumbling all the way.

The second pair of eyes belonged to a man with two hearts, who watched the events play out on the scanner of his TARDIS. He stayed with the Robinson Siblings until they got home; watching to be sure that Will Robinson was safely in his cabin.

The Doctor smiled with relief as he saw the boy getting safely into his bed; a smile that became all the wider when he saw that the boy reached for his tablet to read a bit before going to sleep.

First, Will pulled up a selfie he took with his friend, Lucy – the last one he took of them together before having to leave Earth - making him smile and cry a few tears at the same time.

Then, after wiping away his tears, Will Robinson managed a smile as he began reading aloud to himself, "Once Upon A Time . . . ."

 **The End**

 **Author's Afterthoughts**

I want to thank everyone who took the time to read, review - and even provided advice and suggestions - as I wrote this work of FanFiction; especially other writers on this site including horacethepig, Esther-Channah, and Argonaut57. You've all shared your imaginations with me. The least I can do is reciprocate . . . .

This story is my second attempt to write a story with fictional characters that are "Meta Aware," and where "Genre" is a sort of stand-in for "Culture" and "Ethnicity." I'd be interested to hear from my readers what opinions and observations they have regarding this idea.

I hope to begin posting another story idea that uses these ideas that will cross "Once Upon A Time" with some of the Classic, TV Westerns from the mid to late 20th Century, such as "The Rifleman," "Bonanza," "The Big Valley," and "Little House on the Prairie," to name just a few. The Working Title will be, "Cowboys and Fairy Tales." Let's see what ensues when the Fairy Tales of Storybrooke gets some new neighbors from the Western Realm of Storytelling . . . .

Again, I hope you enjoyed my story. Thanks for reading!


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